Resources for FGLI Students: From Professional Connections to Textbook Access.

For students arriving at Penn, the surplus of resources, clubs, and activities can feel daunting—especially for first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students. On top of balancing socials, academics, and extracurriculars, FGLI students may have to balance limited budgets. They may also seek to find communities of students who come from the same backgrounds or share similar perspectives. Below is a set of resources that FGLI students can use to make their transition to Penn as seamless as possible.

Resources

• Penn First Plus: is the home for FGLI activities, resources, and organizations at Penn. The Shleifer Family Penn First Plus Center is accessible via the back entrance of College Hall for in-person events and resources. The website offers an overview of many of Penn’s programs for FGLI students.
• Penn Libraries:  Being a student at Penn grants free access to many subscriptions and services, such as the New York Times or the Washington Post. 
• Textbook Lending with Penn Libraries: Penn Libraries offers textbooks for lending throughout the semester, with additional resources specifically for FGLI students.
• Financial Aid Counseling: can help students review their current aid packages for information on aid in the acquisition of course materials, which can help save money on necessities such as textbooks. 
• Penn College Achievement Program (PennCAP): PennCAP has a host of resources for FGLI students through all four years designed to ensure success post-graduation. These include, but are not limited to, Graduate School Mentoring for those who want to go to grad school, Faculty Fridays, Peer Mentorship, and Workshops.

Student Organizations

1. Penn First Board is a student-run group that is dedicated to fostering a community of FGLI students. Student learning communities like Penn First, offer indispensable resources that are built around your first-year living experience. For more information on additional FGLI-associated clubs for your first year and beyond, explore the Penn Clubs website. 

2. Penn FLASH: allows students to build a network of other FGLI students and alumni, which can be useful to current FGLI students for career-building opportunities.  
3. Penn First Plus (PFP): Penn First Plus is a resource to help with textbook codes and accessing the resources provided by Penn Libraries. You can also borrow textbooks from the GIC collection at Penn’s library, which can be done after signing onto the GIC community.