What is your hometown? Glendora, CA
What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? Citrus College - A.A. Accounting
Azusa Pacific University - B.A. Human Development
Mt.Antonio College
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal State Fullerton
What motivated you to go to college? The desire for a Beter life for myself and my Parents. My father was a carpenter by trade, and My Mom was a stay-at-home Mom who grew up on a farm in Missouri in a poor family of 9. My Parents did not have the opportunity to Go to college as their families could not afford it and they both had to work at a young age to help support their families. I wanted a more secure future and knew that college was the only way to make that happen.
Describe your college experience as first-generation. I had to ask allot of questions of my high school counselor and then just go to the college campus and figure it out. It was in the late 1970's and unless you had parents that went to college Women were still not encouraged to go to school, just get married and have children. I understood that if i worked hard and got at least my AA degree, my life would change for the better. I worked hard and put myself through school with no financial help from my Parents ( who could not afford to help me) or the government, as financial aid had just started and NO ONE told me about it.
What unique challenges did you face? When I started my college career financial aid had just started to surface, and no one told me about it, so I had to work 35 hours per week while taking 18 units in college. No one I knew had gone to college before me, and so I had to navigate everything myself. It was very hard to get good grades while working almost fulltime hours and taking more than fulltime unit load.
How did you overcome those challenges? I found study groups that helped me complete coursework. I found a job with a very supportive supervisor who would work around my class schedule for my work schedule. I sacrificed my personal life for my college life, in order to focus on my education.
What did you advise other first-generation students? Find a trustworthy Mentor that can help you navigate the ins and outs of college life. Make sure you take advantage of all the free student services and support programs available to you on your college campus. At Mt. SAC we have pretty much anything you will need to be successful, but the college cannot assist you if you don't sign up, reach out, and accept the free services and programs. Make new college friends that will be positive influences on your life and support your educational goals. Don't give up, focus on your future!
