How Don't You Know That?

In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Eve Hudson, The First-Gen Lounge podcast host, author, and motivational speaker, born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. Growing up in a state with the most HBCUs, she was encouraged to attend Shaw University, the first HBCU in the Southern U.S. because she felt a connection there. However, she experienced culture shock once she went to a predominantly white institution and realized "Oh, I'm different," and that environment challenged her to think critically about her identity. As a first-generation college graduate, she shares how she mostly relied on public assistance, didn't know who she could talk to about college, and often couldn't go home to see her family due to a lot of responsibilities. Dr. Hudson's biggest motivators to pursue college education were her grandfather and high school guidance counselors. In her experience working with first-gen students, she has found that shame, unworthiness, and lack of resources were some of the common challenges that first-gen students face. Some of the initiatives that she'd like to see implemented on college campuses include intentional affordable housing and ally spaces with first-gen faculty and staff, as well as socials and first-gen mentors in the corporate spaces. Through her podcast, she helps empower, inspire, and uplift first-generation students and budding professionals. Additional resources: The First-Gen Lounge: https://www.thefirstgenlounge.com/ Empowering First-Generation College Students Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551187661810146/