First Generation Film Screened

Rick Bischoff, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Case Western Reserve University leads the discussion after the movie

By The Human Relations Committee

The Human Relations Committee hosted a screening of the film First Generation on September 5th at Niles North High School. Over 118 teachers, counselors, school board members, college admission counselors, parents and students attended.

First Generation is the story of 4 high school students – an inner city athlete, a small town waitress, a Samoan warrior dancer, and the daughter of migrant field workers – who set out to break the cycle of poverty and bring hope to their families and communities by pursuing a college education. After the film, attendees were invited to stay for a Q & A session lead by Rick Bischoff, Vice President for Enrollment at Case Western Reserve University and also a first generation student himself.

The discussion after the film was fantastic. Rick Bischoff, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Case Western Reserve University talked about his experience as a first generation student and asked questions about how the film resonated with the audience. Many members of the audience stated that the film made them remember how important their work really is.  A woman in the audience also talked about her experience as a first generation student from the Englewood neighborhood in Chicago who went on to graduate from Northwestern University. As you can see, it was a very powerful discussion.

For those who are still interested in seeing this powerful film, there are two upcoming opportunities: in January at Rockford College and again at the Annual Conference.