A pitch for a business competition at Georgia State University in 2016 was the impetus behind the establishment of the Georgia First Generation Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Gwinnett County, which has helped more than 750 students consider next steps after high school graduation.
The Georgia FirstGen brochure begins like a novel. “On a cold and rainy February morning, Charbel Aoun, MS ’21 (PharmD ’25) and Francisco Martinez, MS ‘21 were in a college study area when they entered the competition.
“Being the first in their families to graduate from high school and attend college, Aoun and Martinez understood the real, yet not impossible barriers that students face when working to achieve a college education.”
Though they did not win the competition, a wave of interest from the community spurred the founders on to forming a nonprofit organization to support the growth and success of first generation high school students and, just as importantly, to create a sense of belonging and community for these students.
Aoun, a third year pharmacy student at PCOM Georgia, is the founding executive director. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University in physics and astronomy, Martinez, a Lanier High School graduate from Sugar Hill, completed a master’s degree in physics from Georgia Tech and works as a data analyst.
Georgia FirstGen has helped 750 high school students
To date, Georgia FirstGen has student chapters at seven Gwinnett County high schools and has served 750 first generation students who have more than a 95% acceptance rate into college, according to Aoun. In addition, Aoun has helped organize more than 45 educational meetings and conferences.
“These events have served as a platform for students from underrepresented backgrounds to gain valuable insights into higher education and career opportunities,” he said.
“Witnessing the impact of these events on students’ lives has been incredibly gratifying. It…
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