What is your hometown? Porterville, CA
What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? College of the Sequoias, Associate Degree
University of California, Santa Barbara, Bachelor of Arts
University of California, Irvine, Master of Fine Arts
What motivated you to go to college? I was in my late Twenties and had just had my second child. I wanted to pick up a trade to be able to provide for my family so I found a local Community College with an Automotive program.
Describe your college experience as first-generation. It was difficult to envision transferring from Community College to a University. In retrospect I still expected everything to fall apart and to be notified that my transfer acceptance was a mistake. I had a feeling that even though I had become successful at school that it would all be taken away, that I had missed some important form or document needed to transfer. I think this experience is a microcosm of sorts because even though I was getting great grades and having fun in school, I still felt like it would all be taken away. Like college wasn't really for me. That's why it was so important to find campus resources and student clubs that encouraged me to keep moving forward.
What unique challenges did you face? My mother always encouraged me to go to school and get an education but she herself only had a 5th grade education as she grew up in a very small village in Mexico with no electricity or running water. While I had her emotional support there was no way for her to help me with study skills or strategies for being successful in college. Many classmates spoke about college experiences and tips that their own parents had relayed to them so that they could be successful, but I needed to figure things out on my own.
How did you overcome those challenges? As a re-entry student that had failed a couple of times at my local community college I decided to start asking administrators for help. I was then pointed in the direction of various resources which made it possible for me to be successful. I used the Transfer Center, Food Pantry, EOPS, Tutoring Centers, Campus child care, and was always looking for more programs and student resources to get through school.
What did you advise other first-generation students? Go to office hours and get to know your teachers. They can clarify any questions you may have about class content but can also point you in the direction of various campus resources. Use the tutoring centers and connect with EOPS as early as possible. Do not be afraid to ask for help. As first-gen students we don't have guidance from our families because they have not been through the college process themselves but there are various resources on campus which are there to help us be successful. Find them by letting teachers and administrators know that you need help.
