About FGAP
Learn about our mission, our story, and the values that drive us to create a more equitable path to graduate education.
Our Mission
To dismantle barriers and foster success for first-generation and low-income (FGLI) students nationally and globally by providing comprehensive support, mentorship, and community throughout the graduate school application process.
Our Team
FGAP was conceived and founded by a pair of first-generation graduate students, Bryan Tran and Shichang Yang, at Columbia University. It stemmed from recognizing the distinct, systemic barriers their peers face when navigating the graduate school application process—from information asymmetry to a lack of effective guidance networks.
Initially launched as a university initiative, the goal was simple: to empower FGLI students with the resources, community, and mentorship needed to create a clearer pathway to their postgraduate ambitions.
Shichang Yang (杨世昌)
(he/she/they)
Co-Founder & Co-Director
Shichang is a PhD student in social work whose research explores health justice for LGBTQ+ people and educational equity for children in adversity. They hold MSW degrees from the University of Michigan and Peking University. Shichang has three years of full-time experience managing educational and healthcare equity programs for disadvantaged children at a leading foundation in China. As a clinical practitioner and case manager, they have provided services through various community agencies to support LGBTQ+ individuals, families affected by domestic violence, and children in poverty.
Bryan Tran
(he/him/his)
Co-Founder & Co-Director
Bryan holds a B.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology and an M.S. in Strategic Communication, both from Columbia University. He is also the founder of Global Kinect, a boutique marketing and brand development firm, and believes in working towards a more socially equitable world that promotes increased access to quality healthcare, education, and careers for people from all walks of life.
His core passion lies in anthropology. He is applying to doctoral programs in Sociocultural Anthropology with a focus on speculative futures—exploring the intersection of humanity, emerging technologies, and our future. His work is driven by a fundamental question: “Where are we going?”
Sonali Upasani
(she/her/hers)
Director of Communications
Sonali is pursuing an MS in Strategic Communication at Columbia University and holds a BA in Communication Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill (2023). Originally from California’s Bay Area, she is passionate about storytelling, brand strategy, and digital social impact.
Our Core Values
Equity & Access
We believe potential is universal, but opportunity is not. We work to level the playing field.
Community
We foster psychologically safe and inclusive environments that reinforce connectedness and mutual support.
Empowerment
We provide tools and guidance that empower students to take control of their own academic journeys with confidence.
Mentorship
We emphasize a mentorship model rooted in patience, empathy, and goal-oriented strategic guidance.
Our Supporters
FGAP is proud to be supported by the Campus Collaborative Fund from University Life, which helps us build this supportive community and foster a better future, together.