Before the First Gen College Retreat, I had never experienced a retreat with students from different backgrounds who all identify as first generation college students, like myself. Being surrounded by students who could relate to the challenges I was facing made me feel hopeful, particularly since I have a lack of support at home.

I feel fortunate to have spent seven hours with students who, despite the barriers, still plan to obtain a higher education. I really loved that we were all present in the moment (away from all devices) and that we embraced the safe space that created instant support among us.

Normally, it takes more than just a day or a couple of hours to feel comfortable and trust those around you, but at the retreat it was different. It was like my ideal world, because everyone at the retreat could relate and understand the struggles of being first generation college students.

The activities that we participated in boosted my self-esteem. Prior to attending the retreat, my self-doubt was rising. I was questioning my ability to move forward. I was losing

track of my short and long term goals and began to believe that I wasn’t going to make it very far.

Through one of the team activities, I learned the importance of communicating clearly and efficiently in order to find alternate routes to success, instead of giving up. Oftentimes, as first generation college students we get used to not seeking help when we need it. This activity was an eye opening experience because it convinced me that I’m not alone in the struggles I’ve been facing and that it’s okay so lean on others for extra support.

Climbing the wall was a self-realization moment for me. Not only did I make it to the top, but I overcame another fear, my fear of heights. The wall became a symbol of all the barriers I’ve overcome, including the border between Mexico and the U.S., which my family and I crossed back in 1999.

The retreat helped me get myself back on track. If it weren’t for opportunities like the First Generation College Retreat, students like me would be settling for minimum wage jobs, and giving up on school. Thankfully there are people, like those at First Gen College, who genuinely want to see us succeed.

#FirstGenCollege #Retreat #Community #Support

California is home to the largest number of DACA recipients, nearly 250,000 young people.

The internet is full of new reports, data about DACA recipients, personal stories, legal advice, analyses and the response and efforts to get Congress to act to protect these young people. Much of it is thought provoking and impactful.

I want to share two of these:

First is this New York Times video of DACA recipients telling their stories.

Second, this special podcast episode of Latino USA was created this week in response to the administration’s announcement.

I think these will be interesting to people who are close to the issue, as well as those who don’t know undocumented people or who haven’t given it much consideration. Though Latinos are the largest group of DACA recipients, young people from many countries have been the beneficiaries of this policy, and will be impacted by it being rescinded.

Growing up in the Los Angeles area, attending University of California, Merced was a stretch for Jessica Rivas. “It was initially challenging to be away from everything I was familiar with and the people I loved. I didn’t realize how much maturity and self awareness I lacked.”

Though it was an adjustment, Jessica thrived. “I really enjoyed the independence and autonomy and the exposure to things I never had the chance to experience growing up.”

Encountering the Wilderness

Very early on, she stumbled upon a flyer for the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP). “I had no substantial relationship to the outdoors,” said Jessica. “I had no concept of Wilderness or what National Parks protected. I did not have access when I was younger.”

But with her father’s encouragement, she decided to participate in the program. There, she found her passion and an unexpected path for her life.

According to its website, YLP is “leadership development that educates and inspires environmental advocacy and social change through skilled, ethical, innovative and intentional action, while respecting cultural heritage and community.”

Through the two-year program, Jessica was introduced to Yosemite National Park and the Wilderness. She experienced snow for the first time. She met mentors who cared about her, and helped her work through problems with financial aid so she could continue her education. They continue to support her development. YLP “gives people the safety and support to fail and learn.”

Giving Back

Jessica continued her involvement with YLP and Yosemite National Park in college, and after her graduation from UC Merced, she became a Wilderness Ranger working at Yosemite. As a Latina, she recognizes that she can play an important role in helping connect Latinx students with National Parks and the wilderness, and can impact the way the National Park Service serves her community.

“College has provided me a seat at the table where decisions about my community are made. I have opportunities to actually address issues that impact youth and minorities in parks. I feel it’s my duty as a minority to do what I can to make positive impacts in those communities.

I want to see more Latinos and Latinas out here. I want to see a reflection of our country in Parks and Academia. We have the power to create real changes in our communities. Changes can be addressed from those who know first hand of the struggles they face.”

Jessica wants other first gen students of color to learn from her experiences. “I want first gen students to know that these places belong to them, and that national parks are badass. They are places you can play in and pray in. Places that offer solitude if one seeks it, or connection to millions of different kinds of people if one so chooses.

I want them to know that there are programs that exist that support them through their immersion in Wilderness and offer gear and guidance through their experience. Wilderness is painted as a really scary and uncomfortable experience, I get it. But it’s honestly provided me with some of the most cherished lessons about what I am capable of. I hope they all get a chance to visit these places and feel the love and acceptance I have felt here. I hope they feel at home and empowered to protect these places.”

Going to college as a first gen college student has made a world of difference in Jessica’s life. She encourages other first gens to take the leap and take advantage of all that college has to offer. “If you give yourself permission to have your life changed and you seek out these opportunities, there is no doubt it will happen.”

A colleague of mine and former high school teacher of Jessica’s posted this Park Champions video of Jessica and her work at Yosemite National Park. I was so inspired, I knew I need to connect with Jessica. I am so glad that I did. Please check it out.

#FirstGenCollege #Yosemite #UCMercedVisit #NationalParkService

She wanted to share some of her reflections about her experiences as a first gen college student that drew her to this position.

Purple mountains. Rolling greens. Unlimited dining hall food. College couldn’t start soon enough. Then it did start and things went south real fast. I got my first C. I couldn’t keep up with the thousands of pages of reading. I didn’t know where to turn and who would understand because all around everyone else seemed to be doing just fine.

That was my experience as a first generation college student. I didn’t know how to ask

for help, didn’t know I was supposed to ask. I felt like I was failing because I felt like I only had once chance to succeed. It wasn’t till after graduation, years after graduation, that I realized other first generation college students had similar experiences to me. We were all sinking but smiling on the outside.

If only we knew we weren’t alone and that there were resources we could have sought to help with the college experience. This is why I’m so excited to work with First Gen College. I want the opportunity to empower students to succeed in college. I’m here to first learn from current students and second to share the lessons I’ve learned.

Getting into college is a HUGE feat. You’ve already accomplished much, broken new ground for your family. Now let’s work together to fly through college with confidence and community.

We invite you to reach out to Nancy if you have questions about the First Gen College Student Retreat, if you want more information, or if you want her to come to your campus to do outreach. You can reach her at hello@firstgencollege.me or 323-212-6163.

Forty-eight hours ago, I returned from a different kind of college road trip.

This time I took a van-full of high school students with me to the University of California, Merced. None of the students had given much thought to the university before our trip, but they were excited for a road trip, and were open to learning more about UC Merced.

I picked UC Merced because I was so impressed with it when I visited it last year. The newest University of California (it opened for undergraduates in 2005), UC Merced is a small school; there are just under 7,000 students. 71% of their students are first generation college students. According to their website, “UC Merced leads the UC system in the percentage of students from underrepresented ethnic groups, low-income families and families whose parents did not attend college.”

The Real Meaning of “UC”

UC Merced may be small, but it is mighty, and has big plans, as students learned on our formal tour of the campus. Alex Delgadillo, Associate Director of the Bright Success Center, joked in our meeting with him that “the real meaning of UC is Under Construction.” By 2050, UC Merced expects to be the largest University of California in the system.

Mi Casa Es Su Casa

The heart of the visit was spending time with students connected to SALE (Students Advocating Law and Education), an organization supporting undocumented students. The nucleus of SALE is Casa SALE, a house for undocumented students and allies. The interviews I conducted last year were with students living at the Casa.

Despite the fact that it was finals week and graduation is today, the Casa opened its doors to accommodate our students on this visit in so many ways. SALE students took shifts to visit with us in between their other commitments, so the high school students felt taken care of and had a host of local hosts.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, SALE students shared their stories about their college journeys and their experiences at UC Merced, asked the high school students about their lives and interests, and answered questions. In addition to nurturing their visitors’ spirits, they also provided snacks and overnight accommodations. And of course, no overnight visit would be complete without watching a late night horror film together.

Sharing Stories

The SALE students’ stories are varied. Some are from farm working families in the Central Valley, others are locals from Merced who commute to college and others are from the Los Angeles area. We met first, second and third year students, and a number who are graduating from college this weekend. The students are engineering, business, psychology, public health and political science majors.

Despite these variations, they also have much in common. They are all first generation college students. When they were younger, many had believed that college would not be a viable option for them. They have faced obstacles and setbacks along the way, yet they have persisted. They appreciate the support that UC Merced has provided for them to help them persevere.

Like the SALE students, the high school students we brought to visit UC Merced are all Latinx. One is an immigrant and the rest are children of immigrants from Mexico. They will all be first generation college students. Though some are the oldest and others the youngest in their families, they will each the be the first in their families to attend a four-year university.

Sowing Seeds for the Future

Several SALE students acknowledge that their graduation from college is an accomplishment for the whole family. They know the sacrifices that their parents have made for their education and the investment and support they have provided, despite the added pressures this placed on their families. The students also recognize that getting their college degrees will make a meaningful difference for their future children. They feel that their determination and hard work are laying a foundation to create more possibilities for future generations.

A new academic building opened on campus this year. One student connected the literal and the metaphoric. “We are building our futures while UC Merced is literally building for the future.” She had been a student at Merced during early parts of the construction. She, and other students, signed their names on the steel beams within the building, before the walls were built. Even though no one will ever see her name on that beam, she knows it’s there. Her invisible signature ties her to the history of this campus, and to the idea of being part of building something, planting seeds for the future.

UC Merced is just getting started and has great possibilities ahead.

The same is true for the first generation students we met there, and the ones we brought to visit the campus. They all represents seeds, which are just hints of the future possibilities that can grow from them. If we tend them, appreciate them, and support them, they will thrive and yield in unimaginable ways. We can help plant and water the seeds, then watch them grow.

In addition to being a teacher, my mother was an artist. She painted and made jewelry. She loved wild patterns and bright colors. She recognized the centrality of creativity and the importance of nurturing self expression. She taught me to knit and encouraged me to do all sorts of crafts. She never let me use coloring books; she believed it was far more important to make our own creations than to fill in someone else’s

My mother mostly taught Social Studies, and occasionally English. She taught at several different schools during her career, including a vocational high school and a school for pregnant teens. No matter the subject matter or the school, my mother thrived on her relationships with her students. In many of the schools where she taught, “Mrs. Teitelbaum” just didn’t roll off students’ tongues, so they called her Mrs. T.

Some were disengaged or disruptive at school. Some didn’t pass her classes. Some had hard lives, and trouble at home. Regardless, my mother was interested in their lives. They made her smile and even laugh. She felt like she was making a difference, trying to be a positive force in their lives. Most of all, she wanted to make sure they knew she was paying attention and that she cared.

Remembering my mother today, I know that she planted seeds that sprout within me. I know she would have stories to tell about her own experiences as a first gen college student and what it meant to her family. And I know she would appreciate the value of a program like First Gen College.

Like they were to her, relationships with students are also important to me. She would be pleased to know that some of the young adults involved with First Gen College now are students I first met when they were in middle school many years ago.

I think she would like the idea that we are hosting a retreat for first gen students. She understood the value of self care. She recognized how important it is to express yourself, to be creative, to be seen and heard, to connect with others, and to play. As I remember her today, I see how clearly her legacy lives on in me. Happy birthday, Mom!

#Mother #Retreat #Creativity #Selfcare #Teacher

Register now: www.firstgencollege.me/first-gen-college-retreat.

For more information, go to www.firstgencollege.me/first-gen-college-retreat-faq

Check out our two latest First Gen College videos that capture two students’ reflections on the ways college has impacted them. Zuleyma at UC Merced shares her experience being a rebel and Steven at CSU Humboldt describes how college has changed him.

Check out our latest video, where Jenny talks about why she ultimately decided to go to college, and what she has gained from the experience.

A student at San Francisco State University, Jenny reflects on how much she has learned and how college has helped her grow up.

STARTING COLLEGE

As the school year begins, many first gen college students are heading off to college for the very first time. Many are the first in their families to go to college, or to attend a four-year university, or to leave home/town to attend college.

There are so many expectations, so much anticipation, and a fair amount of uncertainty. They have so much new ground to cover, many new experiences to face, to make sense of and to integrate.

I asked a group of first gen college students who were heading to college for the first time to share some of their thoughts about the process. First, I asked them why they were going to college. As you might expect, they hope for personal growth and increased opportunities. “I want to expand my horizons and grow as a person.” “ I want to take advantage of the opportunity of pursuing a higher education.” I am going to college “to have a better life.”

Yet first gen college students often feel an added sense of purpose and responsibility. They are aware that going to college isn’t just about them, it also has meaning for their families and their communities. “I have many reasons for attending college, including to make sure my parents’ hard work isn’t in vain and making my parents proud.” “I want to make a difference in my family and set a role for my siblings.” and “With higher education, I will be able to be help others in need.”

Understandably, they are excited and they are scared. They look forward to meeting new people and broadening their horizons, and they are afraid of being in over their heads. Here are some things that are on their minds.

I am most excited about:

• Meeting diverse people!
• Making lots of connections and getting involved on campus.
• I am excited to expand my knowledge and use what I learn to change the world.
• Independence, meeting new people of all backgrounds, learning more about myself and my abilities.

I am most afraid of:

• Having to deal with feelings of homesickness.
• Feeling as if I do not belong in the institution I will be attending.
• Failing and not being able to pick myself up.
• Getting intimidated too fast.
• Feeling as if I don’t belong there because I don’t feel smart enough.
• Culture shock.
• I fear I won’t be able to make friends, I fear I won’t be smart enough for college, I fear I won’t be able to pay for it and have to drop out after all the work I did to get in.
• Feeling alone

My hopes and expectations:

• I expect to grow as an individual and I hope to learn to overcome all obstacles that I will encounter.
• I hope to make friends and connections and gain knowledge.
• I hope to travel, meet new people, learn about the world, decipher my purpose in the world, and learn about my identity as a Latina.
• I really hope to find myself, just how everyone says that people do.
• I hope to get a broader perspective of the world as a whole and be more open minded and welcoming when meeting new people.

GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE

While many are just beginning their college journeys, at the same time, other first gen college students graduated last spring. Having accomplished this meaningful milestone, they are working to internalize what it means for them to now be college graduates, or to have graduate degrees now.

Like those who are beginning college, first gen college grads also feel a sense of connection and responsibility to their families and communities. They know how much their graduation means to others.

I asked a group of recent graduates how they are feeling about their graduations and what lessons they have learned. Here are some of the highlights.

Graduating means:

• The sacrifices both my parents made to come to this country were validated. My parents left everything behind and it was worth it, made their dreams come true.
• It feels surreal. I never actually imagined this moment happening. It means a lot more to my family because I’m the first one.
• It means success. #sisepuede
• I did not realize how special and life changing graduating from college can be.
• My graduation meant overcoming my greatest obstacle. It meant celebrating my biggest accomplishment and closing another chapter in my life.

I also asked them to reflect on the ways that they changed in college.

• College has provided me with the confidence to be able to work through problems and difficult moments in life. It allowed me to understand my strengths but also weakness.
• College has given me the tools to continue on with my education while I help others work towards their goals.
• I grew in every way possible. I learned to navigate a space my family is completely unfamiliar with.
• I feel that college opened the doors and avenues to places I never imagined. It pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and become the person I am today.

And finally, I asked them to share the lessons they learned from college:

• As a first generation student, I can look back and understand the importance of support programs and mentors. It’s important to pass down what I have learned and not hold information that could be useful to anyone else. It’s important that we share our stories.
• No matter what life throws at you, you have to continue to push forward and persevere because there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
• It has been one of my biggest battles but I do not regret one minute of it.

The start of a new school year can be a time for reflection, a chance to take stock of where we’ve been and where we are headed. All of us have started new chapters in our lives and ended others at some point, and we know the range of emotions that come with new beginnings and endings.

Yet it can be easy to forget what it feels like to stand at the crossroads of a new phase of our lives. First gen college students reflecting on these junctures have valuable insights and perspective to share with others. I appreciate the opportunity to hear their voices.