Cole Osness, of Merrill, a Junior studying at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a biomedical science major was recognized on Nov. 7, 2023, as an undergraduate inductee into the Zeta Theta chapter of Tri-Alpha First-Generation College National Honors Society. New members were welcomed with an induction ceremony at the Culver Family Welcome Center in Oshkosh along with 37 other undergraduate students, one graduate student, and one honorary inductee. To qualify for the honor society, a student needs to have 30 credits and at least a 3.2 GPA.
The event was part of UW-Oshkosh’s programming for National First-Generation College Celebration Week. More than 40% of UW-Oshkosh students are first-generation students, meaning their parents or guardians did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
National First-Generation College Day is celebrated annually on Nov. 8, commemorating the signing of the Higher Education Act in 1965. The act created federal financial aid programs-including the federal TRIO programs-and made investments in colleges and universities.