The fifth annual celebration at the Espina Campus will feature free food, live mariachi music, lotería and student stories, with everyone welcome to attend
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES – Doña Ana Community College will celebrate students who are the first in their families to attend college with a free community event Thursday, Nov. 12, at its Espina Campus, 3400 S. Espina St.
The college’s fifth annual First-Generation Celebration will run from 5 to 8 p.m. and feature free food, live mariachi music, lotería, prizes, student stories and a photo booth. The event is open to everyone, whether or not they are first-generation college students.
First-generation students are those whose parents did not attend college, although institutions may use different definitions. DACC said the celebration is intended to recognize the experiences and accomplishments of students who are navigating higher education as the first members of their families to do so.
According to figures cited by DACC from CollegeHelpGuide, half of first-generation students begin their higher education at community colleges, while approximately 62% identify as Hispanic or Latino. The college also cited research indicating that first-generation students make up a majority of U.S. undergraduates.
If You Go
What: DACC’s fifth annual First-Generation Celebration
When: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Doña Ana Community College Espina Campus, 3400 S. Espina St., Las Cruces
Admission: Free and open to the public
Activities: Live mariachi music, lotería, free food, prizes, student stories and a photo booth
