R1SE is a new initiative focused on supporting and engaging first-generation students at MACC. We provide academic programming and events, opportunities to connect with other first-generation students, as well as resources and encouragement as you progress through your academic journey.
R1SE hosts student events, activities and celebrations throughout the year:
- New Student Welcome Event
- Academic Success Series
- Lunch & Learns
- Student Shout Outs
- First-Generation Celebration Week
For more information about R1SE student events or resources for first-generation students, please reach out to Dr. Patti Cole at patticole@macc.edu or 573-234-1067 x12107.
First Generation College Celebration
November 2 –8, 2026 is First-Generation College Celebration Week at MACC.
Stay tuned for more information!
Fall 2026 New Student Welcome
We host a New Student Welcome for first-generation students who are new to MACC during the week before the start of the fall semester. Students will have the opportunity to tour campus, meet faculty and staff, connect with other students and ensure that they have everything needed to start the semester strong.
Fall 2026 New Student Welcome
Wednesday, August 19th, 2026
11:00 am – 1:30 pm
MACC Columbia Campus
Lunch will be provided and all attendees who pre-register will receive a MACC t-shirt.
Tri-Alpha Honor Society
Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri-Alpha, was founded March 24, 2018 at Moravian College (now Moravian University) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Over 100 members of the Alpha Chapter were initiated that day, including undergraduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and honorary members. Following the successful induction, the College took steps to incorporate Alpha Alpha Alpha so that chapters could be started on other campuses across the country. Tri-Alpha exists as a not-for-profit (501(c)3) organization, for the purposes of supporting the activities of the honors society.
The Nu Pi Chapter at Moberly Area Community College in central Missouri was established in the Summer of 2025.
BENEFITS:
- An affordable, lifetime, national initiation fee of $15 for students and $25 for faculty, staff and alumni.
- When inducted, initiates receive a certificate of initiation and a pin. Honor cords will be provided for graduates.
- Membership is for life.
- An outward recognition of personal accomplishment and an incentive for continued high scholarship.
- The opportunity to meet other first-generation scholars from all academic disciplines on your campus and to join them in promoting academic excellence and creating a supportive environment for first-generation college students.
- Identifies you to employers, professionals, and graduate schools as a person of superior academic ability and commitment.
- Ability to mentor younger first-generation students.
- Ability to receive mentoring from more senior first-generation students, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni who were first-generation students.
- Local chapter leadership opportunities.
REQUIREMENTS:
Students qualify for induction into the Nu Pi Chapter of Tri-Alpha if they meet the following criteria:
- The student has earned at least 15 credit/semester hours towards an associate’s degree or baccalaureate degree (including half-time) AND
- The student has achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
- Neither of the student’s parents completed a college degree.
Contact Prof. Elliott at victore@macc.edu or Dr. Cole at patticole@macc.edu with any questions.
R1SE Canvas Resource for First-Generation Students
All currently enrolled first-generation students are added to our R1SE Canvas Resource for First-Generation Students. This resource provides access to resources tailored to first-generation students and is a means of communication about upcoming student events and activities.
If you are a current MACC student and would like to be added to the R1SE Canvas Resource for First-Generation Students, please reach out to Dr. Patti Cole at patticole@macc.edu or 573-234-1067 x12107.
How do I know if I am a first-generation student?
The short answer is that it depends on who you ask. In general, we tend to think of first-generation students as being the first in their family to go to college. However, this description is open to interpretation. Does ‘family’ mean parents, siblings and/or grandparents? What about extended family or family members that do not live with you? What if someone has gone to college, but did not complete a degree? As you will likely find with many other things in your college experience, different colleges tend to have their own definitions of what it means to be a first-generation student.
The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 defines a first-generation student as an individual whose parent(s) did not complete a four-year college degree. This definition is used to determine eligibility for federal support programs like the Pell grant and TRIO. It is also the definition used by many four-year colleges and universities around Missouri.
At MACC, we define a first-generation student as an individual whose parents have not earned a college degree. First-generation students at MACC are formally identified based on a response to a question about parent’s level of education on the MACC Student Application. Students who indicate that neither parent has earned a college degree are automatically included as part of the R1SE First-Generation Community at MACC and should have access to the R1SE Canvas course for first-generation students.
Even if you do have a parent who has completed a college degree, there are many individual family situations that may lead you to still identify as a first-generation student. Some examples are highlighted below.
- One of my parents completed college but not until right before I started college.
- One my parents completed college, but I do not live with or receive support from them.
- One of my parents completed college outside of the United States.
If you identify as a first-generation student through any of the situations above, or simply because you feel that you do not have access to the same resources, supports and tools that continuing generation students generally have access to, we invite you to join in the R1SE First-Generation Community at MACC.
If you have any questions about resources available to you as a first-generation student at MACC, please send an email requesting more information to Patti Cole (patticole@macc.edu).
Contact Info
For more information about R1SE at MACC or to request access to our R1SE Canvas Resource for First-Generation Students, please reach out to Dr. Patti Cole at patticole@macc.edu or (573) 234-1067 x 11207.