GET STARTED
BE A DONOR
SCHOLAR PORTAL

Navigating Your New Reality as a First-Generation Student

Great Jobs KC

Seven graduates in caps and gowns stand on outdoor steps, proudly wearing white stoles that read “Great Jobs KC Scholars”—a celebration of success achieved despite financial stress. A blue sign with the program’s logo appears in the lower right corner.

University. A new chapter. An experience entirely your own. To honor the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which expanded access to education for many students across the nation, First-Generation Day was born. This day is celebrated annually on November 8th to acknowledge, applaud, and show interpersonal support to all students who are the first in their families to graduate from college. But being a first-generation student goes beyond just one day. To many, this can be a time of wavering or facing challenges where you don’t know where to find the answer. At college, this is the time for you to expand your mind and see that you belong. With the proper resources and guidance, Great Jobs KC is here to ensure that all First-Generation Scholars excel in their programs and go beyond what they dreamed was possible. 

First-generation student or not, you may be asking yourself, how do I take my first step into this process of continuing my education? To begin, reflecting on who you are as an individual is critical. What do you love? What are you good at? What could you do for several years? All the questions you have probably asked yourself countless times, but are just as important. Your future career path should align with your answers to these questions. You may also not have answers to all of these right now. Keep these questions in the back of your mind as you live your college experience; this will help you stay connected with yourself and pull helpful memories to answer them. As you experience new things on campus, participate in events, and connect with new people, remember to reflect and see how your answers may shift.

 

While on campus, remember to take advantage of the opportunities around you. Look out for internships or career-accelerating opportunities available at your school. You can even ask your advocate or counselor how to get involved in your school’s career resource center. Take time to network on campus, meet with your peers and mentors. As 85% of all job positions are filled through networking, take the time to explore anyone with whom you could grow a professional connection. Oftentimes, college campuses will host networking events for this exact purpose.

 

Seeing the impact firsthand is incredible. As over 70% of KC Scholars are first-generation, we take pride in knowing that our Scholars are provided for in every way they need to be academically successful. With the right support, our Scholars experience a transformative program that empowers them through career preparation.

About Great Jobs KC

Great Jobs KC is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that provides access to college scholarships and tuition-free job training, along with job placement assistance for young people from low- and modest-income families in the metropolitan area, providing a pipeline of talent for a strong regional workforce. Please join us on our mission for economic independence for all. For more information, visit www.greatjobskc.org.

Related Articles

At Great Jobs KC, we are proud to have created quality partnerships across Kansas and Missouri campuses to support and prepare our Scholars for their future careers. With such strong trust in not only our 26 university partners but also in the endless guidance our Scholar Advocates provide, we know that our Scholars, including our First-Generation Scholars, are receiving the exact support they need to succeed in our programs and move towards a strong first job after graduation. 

Seeing the impact firsthand is incredible. As over 70% of KC Scholars are first-generation, we take pride in knowing that our Scholars are provided for in every way they need to be academically successful. With the right support, our Scholars experience a transformative program that empowers them through career preparation.

A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

GET STARTED

Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.