High school students who hope to be the first in their family to get a college degree, are on campus this week to get a head start.

Western Kentucky University is hosting a free camp for teens to get a sense of campus life and academics.

Laura Rogers was there for today's session.

So your synthesizes has always served a large number of first gen students.

Doctor Don winters teaches English and criminology at WKU, her alma mater.

I got here in 2002 where research on first gen students was relatively non-existent.

I had a lot of obstacles because I did not have that familial knowledge of navigating college.

Winters would go on to earn multiple degrees, including a doctorate in educational leadership.

It's more about curiosity and grit.

Determination.

She's sharing that message with today's first generation college students through UCLA's First Gen initiative.

We're trying to connect them to more customized resources.

It's like seeing myself at a younger age, said loon.

Is a WKU junior and first gen student, serving as a counselor to these students who had their sights set on college.

I think college has been helping me be more independent and figuring out what I really am into and who I really am.

Her family immigrated to the United States from Burma when Luna was eight years old.

She's now a pre-med.

I did grow up in a rural area with not much help with health care, and so when I got to America, I just thought that being a doctor would be the most way to help people.

The person camp allows them to really be exposed to resources, mentors, faculty members, people with a different academic colleges.

Peter Ong is also a first gen student aiming for med school.

Sharing his advice with those who want to follow in his footsteps.

Okay, so we have the first gen advocates.

There is a place for them to really find a community immediately if they do come to the BC.

He says the college experience is about more than earning a diploma.

Aside from just academics, there's things to get involved in clubs, intramurals, organizations, whether that's service or, you know, student government.

More than 4000 Hilltoppers identify as first generation students.

That's more than 30% of the student body.

Being the first.

It feels really good.

It is hard.

It can be hard at times, but I'm making it through.

The four day camp includes workshops, campus experiences, team building, and guidance on financial aid and admissions.

They get to kind of see what it's like as an actual first generation college student while you're in college.

We want them to see themselves as college students.

We want to plant that seed.

For Kentucky Edition.

I'm Mara Rogers.