Georgia First was founded by Charbel Aoun and Francisco Martinez, two charismatic and driven college students who found a unique and powerful way to serve their community. As first-generation high school students, they experienced the stereotypes and difficulties many students are facing today. Having graduated high school and both accepted to Georgia State University, Charbel and Francisco understood the real, yet not impossible, barriers that students faced to achieve a college education. On a cold and rainy February morning, at one of the study areas in a classroom building, Charbel and Francisco sat together with the intention of submitting a business proposal to their University's business school's business-pitch competition. This proposal transformed into the revolutionary idea that would change the course of hundreds of students. This business pitch was the birth place of Georgia First -- The Georgia First Generation Foundation.
What began with an idea has become an integral element for first generation high school students across the state. Charbel and Francisco continue to empower and motivate the lives of students daily through their unyielding commitment to the success of students, and that motivation the two share has ignited a spark in hundreds of students, teachers, and community members who now have joined the movement. We welcome students, parents, teachers, administrators, donors, supporters and the community at large to join us as we continue to make the first generation the next generation.
What began with an idea has become an integral element for first generation high school students across the state. Charbel and Francisco continue to empower and motivate the lives of students daily through their unyielding commitment to the success of students, and that motivation the two share has ignited a spark in hundreds of students, teachers, and community members who now have joined the movement. We welcome students, parents, teachers, administrators, donors, supporters and the community at large to join us as we continue to make the first generation the next generation.
Meet our Founders
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Francisco Martinez is the Chief Executive Officer of the Georgia First Generation Foundation. Francisco participate in a plethora of activities ranging from extragalactic research, teaching undergraduate physics labs, and being overall involved in the university community. Among all this, Francisco pours all his efforts into Georgia First because "I have always had a passion to help students in achieving their dreams. By establishing this organization, I plan to take further action to ensure that first generation students get the help and mentoring that they need. At the end of the day, I love to be apart of a larger picture and to help out in any way it may be in anything." Francisco holds a Bachelors degree in Physics and Astronomy from Georgia State University and is currently obtaining his PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
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Charbel Aoun is the President of the Georgia First Generation Foundation. Charbel has been an invited speaker at collegiate, political, and national conferences across the East Coast, and has received awards from the College Board as part of the College Board Youth Advisory Council and the Award of Excellence from the national Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. As the first in his Middle-Eastern family to attend college, "I am determined to help younger students achieve success in higher education. The wealthiest people are those with the strongest networks, and my goal is not only expand my network but to share my network with others. The function of education then is mastering the art of networking and the ability to grow with everyone as whole." A Coca-Cola First Generation Scholar, Charbel holds a B.S. in Psychology from Georgia State University and is currently obtaining his M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Awards and Accolades
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