What is your hometown? Torino, Italy

What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? University of Torino – Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology
University of Southern California - PhD in Neuroscience

What motivated you to go to college? I wanted a better job than what my parents had.

Describe your college experience as first-generation. College classes were very challenging. After a few months into college, I dropped out thinking "I should just get a regular job and forget about college". Luckily, my curiosity and love for learning new things every day took over and the next year I enrolled in college again. It took me a while to figure out my major but when I did, classes became more exciting than challenging.

What unique challenges did you face? Classes were hard and I couldn't ask for any help at home. Textbooks were very expensive and we could not afford them. So I had to buy copies of them under the table. (Schools in Italy are mainly public, so luckily I did not have to set up a loan.)

How did you overcome those challenges? I made a lot of friends in college, some of which were first-generation students like me. We formed study groups and helped each other with the challenges of the course load. That was a lifesaver, I didn't feel like the only one that was struggling and our friendship kept me going throughout college.

What did you advise other first-generation students? Meet other students, set up study groups, and make friends. You're not the only one and together you can achieve more.