First Gen Newsletter October 2023

Positions: Program Specialist for Bobcat RISE 

How Does She Support First Gen:
 “Every time I talk to a student and find out they are first-gen I will talk to them about, have you considered this, did you know that there are other programs available to you, have you heard of this scholarship, here are some organization tips to stay ahead. Here is what you need to get an A. It's not this insurmountable obstacle and here are the steps to obtain it.”

A Unique Experience to Being First Gen: 
“The year I was a junior, NASW Texas put out a notice that they were going to have a student poster presentation for their statewide conference. I said, you know, I want to go to grad school and it will look good on my resume…I am going to base it off a paper I wrote for one for my classes. I told one of my professors about it and  she said she would love to help me and be my faculty sponsor. She dropped everything and drove to Galveston just to support me. That made such an impression on me. Someone who offered mentorship… to put words into action, it made a huge difference in my confidence. Since then, if I have an opportunity to mentor another student, I will open a door for them, they just need to walk through it.”

Advice for First Gen Students:
"Go talk to your advisor. Make those appointments. Stay on track. Take their advice. Also get to know your faculty. Go to their office hours, even if you are not having problems in class. Just stop by for two minutes and say hi. You are going to need them later. You will need them for references if you are applying for jobs or if you are going to grad school. If you go talk to them, they will remember you."