With $1.1M grant, first-gen, low-income students get renewed support
By Ben Badua, Student and Campus Life
Graduating from college isn’t easy, especially when you’re the first in your family to do it, said Bryan Kongnyu ’25. But Cornell’s Kessler Scholars program, which supports first-generation, low-income students, helped him succeed throughout his undergraduate career – and graduate in May.
“It’s like my compass,” Kongnyu said of the program. “Whenever I felt lost, whether it was figuring out financial aid, choosing a major, or just dealing with the everyday stress of college life, there was always someone there to help, guide or just listen.”