Event Description

The Rowan University First-Generation Symposium elevates the voices, innovations, and experiences of first-generation students, faculty, and professionals. As higher education rapidly evolves, this event reimagines support systems, celebrates success stories, and empowers first-gen leaders of today and tomorrow.

Through keynote presentations, interactive breakout sessions, and the return of the student-led panel, participants will explore how policy, pedagogy, mentorship, mental health, and innovation can transform the first-gen experience. Symposium tracks include pathways to access and success, cultivating leadership, identity and belonging, technology and curricular innovation, balancing life and education, and first-gen graduate school experiences.

Attendees will leave with actionable strategies, fresh perspectives, and a renewed commitment to equity and access. Bringing together educators, administrators, policymakers, students, and community partners, this symposium fosters environments where first-generation individuals don't just survive-they thrive.

Inclement Weather: If hazardous weather conditions impact the in-person day, February 12th, all events will be transitioned to an online platform and links will be shared via email and the website.

2026 Keynote Speaker

Nicole Pulliam, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Executive Coach, Equity & Inclusion Strategist, and Higher Education Consultant

Dr. Nicole Pulliam is an award-winning educator, scholar, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in higher education, spanning both academic and student affairs. A proud first-generation college graduate and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) alumna, she brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her work supporting student success, equity, and inclusion. Raised in Passaic, NJ, Dr. Pulliam understands the transformative power of education and remains deeply committed to expanding access for historically oppressed communities.

A nationally recognized speaker and strategist, Dr. Pulliam partners with institutions across the country to lead transformative faculty development workshops focused on inclusive pedagogy, equitable advising, and student success. Her scholarship and leadership center equity, belonging, and access, with an emphasis on institutional accountability.

As a tenured professor and former department chair, Dr. Pulliam has spent over a decade teaching graduate-level courses and mentoring students, while spearheading equity-driven initiatives in curriculum, policy, and practice. She is the Founder and CEO of Real & Worthy, LLC, a boutique firm that provides executive coaching, strategic advising, and professional development for leaders across sectors. She also serves as a Faculty & Leadership Coach with Academic Impressions, supporting faculty through tenure, promotion, mid-career transitions, and leadership development.

In 2021, Dr. Pulliam was appointed as the inaugural director of the Monmouth University Social Justice Academy, a $2-million equity initiative she co-authored to advance equitable practices in K–16 education across New Jersey. Under her leadership, the Academy became a regional model for equity-centered professional learning, while also deepening partnerships with local colleges, school districts, and community organizations.

Her scholarship and commentary have been featured in peer-reviewed journals and national outlets. In 2024, she received the Excellence in Equity Award from the American Consortium for Equity in Education and was recently named a finalist for the ATHENA Leadership Award by the Monmouth Regional Chamber of Commerce. She was a featured speaker at TEDx Jersey City in October of 2025 and is currently editing her forthcoming book, Counter-Narratives of Resistance for Women of Color in Higher Education: We Are Not Impostors (Emerald Publishing).

Dr. Pulliam serves on the Board of Trustees for the Grunin Foundation, supporting non-profit organizations with a shared vision of an equitable, just, and vibrant Central Jersey Shore, is on the editorial board for the Journal of First-Generation Student Success, is the former Chair of the NJ ACE Women’s Network, and is active in several professional and philanthropic organizations committed to advancing educational equity and leadership.