Thanks to our supporters, we hit our second fundraising goal for the ATOMS program with seven days to go! The additional funds will help us make the program as affordable as possible for participants. We never want a first-year student to miss out because they can’t afford a cup of coffee or a trip to the VT bowling alley.

Any additional funds raised will continue to go towards activities where first-year students can get to know each other and our peer mentors! Thank you for your support of our first-generation college students, especially as we approach First-Generation Celebration Week at Virginia Tech.

We did it, Hokie Nation!  Thanks to your incredible support, we have reached our first crowdfunding milestone — $5,000 in just five days!

Your generosity will allow us to hire eight additional peer mentors over the next two years to meet the growing needs of our first-year students.  Each year, the number of freshmen in our program has grown by about 20 students.  This fall, we had so much interest that several mentors took on extra mentees.  Thanks to you, our first-year, first-generation Hokies will continue receiving the personalized support they need to thrive.

Because of this amazing momentum, we have decided to increase our goal to expand support for program affordability — ensuring that all students can fully participate in mentoring activities at no cost.

Our mentors often take their mentees out for coffee or lunch to talk about classes, campus life, and challenges they may be facing.  These informal connections are where real growth happens — helping students feel seen, supported, and part of the Hokie community.  We never want a first-year student to miss out because they can’t afford a cup of coffee or a trip to the VT bowling alley.

More than 40% of our first-generation students are also Pell-eligible, so affordability truly matters.  What might seem like a small gesture — a coffee or a shared meal — can make a world of difference for a student who is counting every dollar.

Thank you for believing in our students and for helping us create a welcoming, empowering start to the Virginia Tech journey for all College of Science students.  Let’s keep the momentum going!