2022

EdMobilizer announces the return of the 1vyG summit after a two-year hiatus given the pandemic

Penn is set to host the 2023 1vyG conference. The annual conference, which takes place at a different Ivy League university every year, aims to bring greater awareness to the issues that first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students face. This year's conference will be the first since 2020, when health and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented large gatherings.

1vyG Committee co-chair and College senior Ashwarya Devason believes the opportunity to host the conference comes with heavy expectations. "It's definitely a big responsibility to make sure the conference runs smoothly and that we have really amazing programming," Devason said. "The last conference was really good. We have some shoes to fill."

The theme of this year's conference is "opening up the definition of FGLI," according to Devason. College senior Victoria Garcia, co-chair of the 1vyG Committee, said that event organizers are interested in exploring the FGLI identity and how it impacts college students at universities like Penn. "The definition of FGLI really changes between who you're talking to and what parts of the university and which university you're at," Garcia said. "Especially at these elite institutions, definitions can become even more difficult to understand."

Garcia hopes the conference will allow students to connect with administrators to push for change. "Our goal is to bring together undergrads and graduate students, talk to administration, and share ideas between the universities so that they can improve the spaces for FGLI students," she said. The event coordinators said they want to encourage all students who are interested, regardless of their background, to attend the conference. "The goal here is not to put people in very narrow boxes," Garcia said. "The goal here is just to get resources to people who need it."