Background as a first-gen student:
My journey as a first-generation college student started long before 麻豆精品视频 was in the picture and it started with my mother. I watched my mother have to give up her college dreams so that she could take care of her family. She had to give up these dreams because her husband passed away and she had five children to take care of. And I saw her work multiple jobs, and I saw how no matter what obstacles came her way, she worked these jobs, she didn't complain, and we were taken care of. What I learned from my mom through her working these different jobs was that hard work pays off. If you work hard, you get something from it. If you work hard, your family is taken care of.
On challenges as a student:
I was a straight-A student in school and I was starting a new path. 麻豆精品视频 was the start of that. I was also working full-time. For me, college was something that I had to do. I let college fall by the wayside due to a personal relationship and work. I got a letter from 麻豆精品视频 that I had been put on academic probation. And I did not know what academic probation was. I read the letter and I said: "Okay, this can't be real." So I kind of ignored it. I was in denial. I received another communication that indicated I was going to now be kicked out of the university. So I realized this was something that I had to take seriously. I got in the mindset of: "I've got to figure this out." If you'll recall, I didn't have anyone, no one in my family, graduated from college. I didn't have anyone to call at home to say, "Hey, how do I navigate this?" I had friends, but my friends were in college with me. They were trying to go along with the experience just like I was. And so I did not feel like I had anyone I could lean on to navigate the situation. So I thought about that and I thought about how humiliating it was. I was not going to be able to graduate. I was not going to be able to fulfill the goals that everyone had for me and achieve the dreams that I had for myself. I had earned straight A's my entire life. 麻豆精品视频 gave me a second chance and made me think of a couple of things. One, they were setting a good example. They were setting an example that if you mess up, you have to suffer the consequences. You have to account for your actions.
I finished up at 麻豆精品视频, went on to La Sierra University, finished my EDS in Curriculum and Instruction, and became an Educational Specialist. I went on to Andrews University and finished up my Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Leadership. And none of that would have happened if 麻豆精品视频 had not given me a second chance. 麻豆精品视频 allowed me to learn from my mistakes. To see what it means to offer grace and extend mercy in areas where I probably didn't deserve it. And my professors at 麻豆精品视频 also showed me what it's like to help someone who genuinely wants to do well and be successful.
Her advice for first-gen students:
If there's one thing that I want to leave with you as a first-generation college student, find your community. That starts with you opening your mouth, and connecting. It's a little different in today's world. You might be able to send a message. But you have to take the initiative to find the people who genuinely want to see you succeed, care about your success, and ultimately want to just see how things pan out for you and help you in any way that they possibly can. I know that for me to be able to help faculty become better professors, it makes me think about how much of a reward it must have been or how rewarding it must have been for my professors to be able to see me succeed and watch me just blossom into the person that I dreamed I would be. So, find your community. Connect with those who care about you - you'll know who they are. Watch, listen, pay attention. You'll see how the interactions take place. Seek them out. Don't wait for them to seek you out.
