# UK's Explore First program transforms futures of first-gen graduates **Published:** 2026-05-08T14:16:53.000Z **Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/explore-first-shapes-futures-uk-s-first-generation-graduates) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-s-explore-first-program-transforms-futures-of-first-gen-graduates LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mollie Overton once watched sunsets from an overlook in rural Tennessee, imagining what her future might hold. Now, she's preparing to graduate from the University of Kentucky with a nursing degree, her trajectory transformed by a study abroad program designed exclusively for first-generation students. Explore First: Careers, Cultures and Connections launched in summer 2023 at UK as a [first-of-its-kind education abroad program](https://international.uky.edu/ea/explore-first) for first-generation undergraduates. The three-week initiative takes students to London and Dublin, combining cultural exploration with career discovery and professional development. About 25% of UK undergraduates are the first in their family to attend college. Explore First addresses a significant opportunity gap: first-generation students participate in study abroad at lower rates than their peers. The program removes financial barriers by offering almost fully-funded trips to students who often have never traveled internationally or been on an airplane. Overton, who grew up in rural Scott County, Tennessee, was skeptical when she received an email about the program during her sophomore year. "I'd never even been on a plane before," she said. "Who wouldn't want to go to London if they could?" While abroad, students take a career readiness course and visit major employers including Amazon, Fidelity and Enterprise. They participate in mock interviews, resume reviews, networking events and hear directly from company leaders about career pathways and the transition from college to the workforce. Beth Hanneman, director of UK's Interprofessional Healthcare Residential Community, has led Explore First cohorts for three summers. "I watch students grow in confidence, and by the end, not only can they see themselves in these roles, they believe they can have these careers," Hanneman said. "They aren't limited by major or by where they came from. It's not about where they've been. It's about where they're going." For Overton, the impact extended beyond London. When she returned to the UK campus and began working in a hospital, she found herself interacting with patients and colleagues differently. "The employer visits were crucial in me understanding how to function in a career, in a professional environment," she said. Kirsten Turner, vice president for Student Success at UK, emphasized the program's transformative power. "When you take that high-impact practice and you add in the career-readiness element, what you have is a transformational experience that equips our first-gen population for success after graduation," Turner said. The program welcomed its fourth cohort in summer 2026 and has gained national recognition. In May 2025, UK was selected to receive an [IIE American Passport Project grant](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/uk-selected-receive-iie-american-passport-project-grant-empower-us-students-study-abroad) that will help 25 additional Pell-eligible students obtain their first U.S. passport for international travel. Nick Stevens, a 2024 graduate of UK's College of Engineering who participated in Explore First and is now pursuing an MBA, credited the program with expanding his horizons beyond his rural northeastern Kentucky roots. "I'm from the middle of nowhere, and that can come with its own challenges," Stevens said. As Overton prepares to graduate in December, she reflects on the program's impact. "I found myself on this program. I am 100% a different person because of it," she said. "I couldn't have accomplished what I have without going to London. I would not have had the confidence, the drive or the belief in myself to achieve what I already have and the exciting plans I have for the future." ## Sources - [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/explore-first-shapes-futures-uk-s-first-generation-graduates) - [Explore First program information and details](https://international.uky.edu/ea/explore-first) - [University of Kentucky receives IIE American Passport Project grant](https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/uk-selected-receive-iie-american-passport-project-grant-empower-us-students-study-abroad) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/explore-first-shapes-futures-uk-s-first-generation-graduates.