What is your hometown? West Covina, CA
What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? Mt. San Antonio College - A.A. Liberal Studies
California State University Fullerton - B.S. Child and Adolescent Development
Western Governor's University - M.Ed. Instructional Design
What motivated you to go to college? My father passed away when I was 18 years old. Neither my mother or my older sister handled it very well, which left me in the position to fill his shoes so to speak. I knew that the only way I could help my family's future stability was to go to school and find a career.
Describe your college experience as first-generation. It was difficult, to say the least. With my mother and sister dealing with their grief in vastly different ways, I had to try to navigate all of our grief processes, my school schedule, studying, work, and additional life stressors that came up almost on a daily basis. Although my family was supportive of me going to school, it was also difficult because no one could truly relate to the rigor of what I was going through. I was chastised at times for not attending family functions because I had a paper to write or I had to study. As time went on, it got easier, and I was able to make friends at school who could relate to my situation to a certain extent which made school less lonely. The most memorable experience of my educational career happened as I was walking to my car at 10:00pm after my last final of my last class for my Bachelor's Degree. I remember taking out my phone to call someone to tell them that I was finally done when I realized that there was no one to call who would understand the complex emotions that I was feeling at that exact moment. I put my phone away and just continued walking to my car with my eyes tearing, wishing there was someone I could share the moment with.
What unique challenges did you face? Finances were a challenge because we no longer had my father's income to help and my mom only worked 3 hours a day as an instructional assistant. I remember applying for financial aid, but I don't think anything ever came of it.
Finding quiet places to study and do my homework was also difficult. Taking so many classes resulted in numerous research papers being written each semester. Paying for copies of peer-reviewed journal articles for those research papers added up quickly.
How did you overcome those challenges? During that time, California State University, Fullerton had a set tuition cost for 1-6 semester units and 7+ semester units. I always registered for at least 12 units (sometimes up to 18 units) because it was a flat rate. I worked a couple of jobs and made deferred payments over the course of the semester.
In order to find a quiet place to study, sometimes I had to get creative. I didn't always have the gas money to drive to campus on days I didn't already have class. So, sometimes I would drive to a lookout spot at Azusa Canyon and study in the mountains, or sit in my car in the driveway with my computer. One time during finals, I rented a room at a Motel 6 for the night just so that I could write my papers and study.
At that time, all CSUF students had an option of subscribing to the internet through the school (at a much lower cost than other providers). This gave students access to the school's library where we could order copies of journal articles and other resources needed for research papers. I discovered that if the school's library did not have the resource you needed, it would obtain a copy for you from another institution at no cost. So, needless to say, I only ordered research materials that were not owned by the school to avoid the cost of the copies.
What did you advise other first-generation students? Don't be afraid to ask for help or assert yourself when you need to study. Not everyone will be able to see your motivations for obtaining a higher education. Don't take it personally if a loved one is less than supportive. Often times loved ones and friends just miss the time you used to spend with them and perhaps say things they don't mean because they don't know any other way to tell you they miss you. These actions will not make your journey any easier, but they don't have to derail you either. Find a mentor to support you through your academic journey so that after the last final of your last class, you know exactly who to call.
