Leadership
Team
Meet the Founders
Who We Are
Anthony Surratt
PRESIDENT
As a proud first‑generation college graduate who went on to earn both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree, Anthony knows firsthand what it feels like to navigate higher education without a roadmap. After spending more than 20 years working in higher education and seeing countless students face the same challenges, he felt called to create a national community where first‑gen students and allies can connect, empower one another, and grow together.
His advice to new first‑generation college students is simple: build your support system, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to ask questions even when you’re not sure what to ask yet. Staying engaged with the people and resources around you makes all the difference. Anthony’s favorite quote, “Life is like a mirror. What you put into it is what you get out of it… so keep reflecting greatness,” guides both his leadership and his life.
If his journey were a book, it would be titled Lessons Learned, a testament to turning adversity into wisdom and using every experience as a chance to uplift others.
Emily Surratt
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Emily connects deeply with first‑generation college students because she understands what it feels like to navigate identity, family history, and opportunity on your own terms. Learning later in life that her birth parents had not attended college helped her see her own journey through a new lens, one shaped by resilience, belonging, and the courage to embrace who you are. When she and her husband, Anthony, envisioned a national community for first‑generation college students and alumni, she saw an opportunity to bring people together, strengthen engagement, and partner with institutions committed to supporting this unique population.
Her advice to first‑generation college students is rooted in authenticity: own your story and be proud of who you are. Guided by Eleanor Roosevelt’s reminder that courage grows when we face our fears, she approaches life with a “just keep swimming” mindset, moving forward one step at a time, even through uncertainty, and helping others do the same.
