What is your hometown? Pomona, CA

What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? Cal Poly Pomona, Bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing
University of La Verne, Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy

What motivated you to go to college? My Parents. My Sisters! They did not have the opportunity to have a formal education because of work.

Describe your college experience as first-generation. As a first-generation college graduate I learned that the path to the degree was not going to be easy. The academic piece was manageable- it was aspects that happened at home that made the journey difficult. From balancing school and part-time work, to making sure that my parents were healthy enough to get up and go to work!

What unique challenges did you face? One of the biggest challenges was making sure my parents were okay. Both my parents have severe illness that often would prevent them from being able to work. If they did not work then that would mean that we were short on funds that month; In turn, I and my sisters needed to put in extra hours at work. When this would happen, school took a second place in importance- second place but never ignored because there was always a goal- to graduate.

How did you overcome those challenges? I asked for help when I needed it. I was not shy to say that there were times I just could not do it alone! And it never felt that way because I tried my best to surround myself with a support system that was going to be there for me no matter what.

What did you advise other first-generation students? Giving up might seem like the thing to do when we are challenged; however that won't get you closer to that graduation goal. Surround yourself with people that can support, help, and remind you of what you want and are working towards.