BU Today Close Up: Brianna Bourne
Briana is a first-generation college graduate and worked at the Newbury Center during her undergraduate degree. She has now graduated from BU twice within the past three years.
About the Center
The Newbury Center opened its doors in January 2021 with the goal of fostering the holistic success of first-generation students at Boston University—students we refer to as “Terrier F1RSTS.” We aim to become a highly visible, transformative unit of the University, offering programming and services designed to ensure that first-generation students experience the same sense of well-being, belonging, self-efficacy, and academic accomplishment as their continuing-generation peers. The center is primarily funded by an endowment established with funds received from Newbury College, a private liberal arts college that served many first-generation students in nearby Brookline before closing its doors in 2019.
Specific initiatives include:
- Support for navigating the financial aid system and developing financial literacy.
- Programs and systems to help students know where to turn for academic support
and how to make the best use of the many available resources that ensure academic
success, such as writing programs and course selection advice. - Support for taking full advantage of internships and study abroad opportunities.
- Cohort and mentoring programs to foster a sense of belonging.
- Outreach to families to build understanding and shared commitment to academic
success and cocurricular engagement.