On April 29, 2025, the inaugural Culverhouse First Generation Graduation Dinner was held to honor the remarkable achievements of Culverhouse’s first-generation college graduates. The evening served as a celebration of academic success and a tribute to the resilience, dedication, and courage that each graduate demonstrated on their path to a college degree.
Held on campus in Hewson Hall, the intimate dinner brought together family members, mentors, faculty, and community supporters who have walked alongside these students throughout their journeys. For many our graduates, this was more than just a dinner; it was a milestone that acknowledged years of hard work, sacrifice, and determination.
This year’s honored graduates were:
- Angel Peterson – Bachelor of Science in Management, Human Resource Management
- Asiriah Williams – Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Science in Finance
- Deep Singh – Master of Science in Business Analytics
- Galilea Palomares – Bachelor of Science in Finance
- Ivan Soto – Bachelor of Science in Management, Entrepreneurship
- Jose Andres – Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Professional Accounting
- Luz Rosales-Perez – Bachelor of Science in Finance
- Tyler Le – Bachelor of Science in Business Cyber Security; Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems
- Uyen Truong – Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems; Bachelor of Science in Operations Management
The event featured personal reflections from graduates and moments of gratitude directed toward those who supported them through the challenges of navigating higher education as the first in their families to do so.
First generation graduate Angel Peterson said the evening served as a moment of great importance. “The First Gen Graduation Dinner meant so much to me,” she said. “It was one of the first times I really felt the weight of everything I had accomplished. Being in a room full of other first-gen students who had pushed through so many of the same struggles made the night feel even more special. It was a moment to breathe, reflect, and celebrate everything we’d overcome. I really hope this becomes a lasting tradition because it reminds students that their hard work matters, and that they’re part of a community that’s proud of them.”