First-Generation College Stories

Being a first-generation college student is a profound honor for me, representing both a tribute to my mother’s resilience and our shared commitment to building a better life in the United States after migrating from El Salvador. Each step I take on this journey carries the weight of her sacrifices and the countless hours we both invested in pursuing a brighter future. For my family and me, this isn’t just an educational milestone; it’s a door to opportunities that were once out of reach, a path we are collectively walking for the very first time.

This experience has opened my eyes to the reality that my dreams are within my grasp, achievable through hard work, perseverance, and an unyielding belief in myself. However, it has also underscored the critical need for support—mentors, role models, and sponsors who see my potential and are dedicated to guiding me toward success. I have come to understand that while personal dedication is essential, the guidance and encouragement of compassionate individuals can be the key to overcoming obstacles and reaching new heights.

In this journey, I am not only setting a precedent for my family but also aspiring to create a ripple effect that will inspire others like me. Being here is a testament to what can happen when hard work meets opportunity, and my mission is to honor that by not only succeeding for myself but paving the way for those who will come after me.

My strongest motivation to pursue a college education has always been grounded in my roots: my community in El Salvador, my family, and the vision of the person I aspire to become. Growing up, I felt the encouragement of an entire village cheering me on, each person’s hope fueling my own. As a first-generation college student, I recognize that I am not only reaching for a better future for myself but also breaking barriers that have historically limited my family and community. This journey offers me the tools to break cycles of poverty and to access knowledge and resources that would have otherwise remained out of reach.

Having lived here for over 11 years, I’ve seen how people close to me have struggled, often falling prey to exploitation simply because they lacked access to critical information about their rights, work benefits, and countless other resources. Witnessing this reality has only strengthened my determination to go to college—not just for my personal growth but to serve as a voice for those who may not yet have one. My education is a means to empower others, to ensure they aren’t left vulnerable due to a lack of knowledge, and to open doors to choices that can genuinely improve their lives.

For me, college is more than a personal milestone; it is a bridge to uplift my community, advocate for justice, and drive change for those I am privileged to reach. This mission is what propels me forward every single day.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been supported by an inspiring circle of mentors, role models, and sponsors who have guided me along my journey. Among them, my mother, Mirna Menjivar, has been my steadfast foundation, and my remarkable sponsor, Rose Tatlow, provided invaluable encouragement. Even the memories of my younger self—who once doubted she’d ever have access to opportunities or a path toward her dreams—have become a source of strength, reminding me of how far I’ve come.

If I could offer advice to my college self, it would be this: embrace every opportunity to network and seek to build genuine, lasting connections with those around you. Be curious, learn from others, and stay open to new perspectives and ideas. Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself and share your culture and story with pride. Remember, college is not just a stepping stone to the future; it’s a chance to enjoy every moment, to take pride in how far you’ve come, and to utilize every resource available. Above all, remember to pause, take a deep breath, and appreciate the journey and the incredible resilience that brought you here.

“My education is a means to empower others, to ensure they aren’t left vulnerable due to a lack of knowledge.”
–Johana, ‘24

Going to college was always an inevitability when I was younger. I never thought I wouldn’t get there. I didn’t know the best way to go about it all but when my senior year of high school came around in 2005 I started applying to nearby universities on my own, paying for the application fees with what I made at my fast food job. No one in my family even knew I was applying.

I had no extra-curriculars, no volunteer experience and no club memberships to add to my application. I had a bad GPA from my first two years of high school when I thought I could skate by without putting in any effort. I had resigned myself to only getting accepted at “bad” schools.

Receiving that large packet from UW, months later than the other schools I applied to, was a surprise. Opening it to see it was a provisional acceptance was even more of a surprise. How could you be provisionally accepted? It turns out I was right about my record being not quite good enough to get into a “good” school. UW was willing to overlook my past mistakes if I could prove I was capable of succeeding in a university system. I had to come to campus for four weeks in the summer to attend classes, receive tutoring and adhere to a strict study-eat-sleep schedule. If I had failed at that tryout my life would have taken a completely different path.

Having no adult figures in my life to help guide me through this wasn’t in my mind at the time since that was pretty standard for every other aspect of life as well. This mindset got me into college but it also may have held me back. I didn’t check in with an advisor until my senior year of college. I was doing fine to graduate but I hadn’t been very ambitious in my class scheduling. I do look back now and wish I had taken better advantage of the opportunities provided to me by UW. My advice then is don’t be afraid to fail. Take the difficult class that will pay off better in the future. Go to study centers with your classmates and work through the course together. You will make better friends and a better future than if you only watch your GPA when selecting classes.

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Take the difficult class that will pay off better in the future.” —Tyrell, ’10

What does being a First-Generation college student mean to you? The first three words that come to mind are “independence, resilience and opportunity.” To elaborate, I have defied the odds and have not let my childhood circumstances define my life journey and purpose, as I have obtained both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Washington.

What motivated you to go to college? There were multiple factors that led me to higher academia, from being told I would never succeed (those who haven’t accomplished what you dream of cannot propel you) to others informing me the only thing that someone can’t take away from you is your education.To have something that was all mine seemed wonderful, as did the financial freedom and doors that would open if I had a college education. To me this meant an easier life and academics was the key to that.

What was the best thing about your college experience? · Different People, Different Backgrounds · Finding Oneself

What was the worst thing about your college experience? I often felt that I was the ONLY as an African American first generational female. I had very few people close to me who I could talk to about my experience or could provide guidance or assure me what I was experiencing was a normal part of my college years. This is a huge resource that many first-generation students lack. Finances: College is NOT free! I wanted this opportunity, but I did not want to go into debt paying for a better life. Therefore, I enrolled in the University of Washington’s evening degree programs, which allowed me to work full-time during the day and take a full course load at night. This combination combined with scholarships, fellowships, and minimum Federal Student Aid got me where I am today. The latter was a extremely intimidating process when you are doing it for the first time, as I had come from a background where money was never discussed openly, but I knew there was never enough.

Who did you turn to when you needed support? My evening degree advisor, Connie Montgomery. Ms. Montgomery and I have since developed a lifelong friendship, and it is because of her that I now mentor for young adults through Washington State Opportunity Scholarship.

What would you say to your college self? “I am glad you have a 10-year plan (you will crush this plan, and do great things), but breathe and celebrate the small wins (passing an exam, turning in a paper on time), they are just as important if not more important than the big wins (passing a course, maintaining your grades for financial aid) toward obtaining your diploma. Fully embracing this chapter of your life, it is not a checklist.

“Breathe and celebrate the small wins… they are just as important if not more important than the big wins.”
–Keonna, ‘07, ’10

I am fortunate and blessed to be a first-generation college graduate in my family of five. In 1977, my Mom and Dad were finishing high school and soon found out they would be young parents to my brother (now 46 years old). At that time in the US, it was very common for women to choose to have abortions. However, my parents’ faith, values, and commitment to one another made them choose to marry at the ages of 17 and 18 and have my brother. I was born three years later and my parents just celebrated 47 years of marriage this past September!!

If they didn’t choose to marry and have my brother in their late teens, I would not have had the chance to be born, grow into the successful person I am today and with it, obtain my college degree from the University of Washington. It is by seeing their examples of selflessness, hard work, integrity, strong character, and resiliency that I myself was able to put myself through college while working a full-time job and obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree.

It is with great pride that I can say I am the first college graduate in my family and a Husky through and through!! Go Dawgs!!!

“It is with great pride that I can say I am the first college graduate in my family and a Husky through and through!”
–Amber, ‘06

Being a first generation student meant looking for ways to feed my desire to succeed until it overpowered my fear of failure. As firsts, we learn to motivate and advocate for ourselves and constantly look for resources to help us navigate through the unknown.

It can often feel like two full-time jobs when you’re also working to put yourself through college. Hard as it may be, our experience and perspective help us develop the skills we need to thrive in the real world, so own it; it’s an opportunity to grow, not a disadvantage.

I was motivated to go to college because I wanted to set an example for the next generation of women in my family.

As a young girl, I didn’t see Latina leaders in my community or in biotech, and I was determined to help change that. Knowing that someone you identify with accomplished something you aspire can make your goal feel more attainable.

The best thing about my college experience was meeting people from different backgrounds and learning about their stories, culture, and food. I came from a place without much diversity so this exposure taught me to value different perspectives; seeking and taking other perspectives into consideration helped me grow as a person and thrive in my career.

If I could give any advice to my college self, I would say that it’s never too early to look for internships. Use your internships wisely: they are an opportunity for you to apply what you’ve learned, network, learn new skills, identify what you do and don’t want from an entry level position, and find a mentor. Finally, don’t forget to make time to celebrate your accomplishments and share your successes with others for an added boost of motivation! [/uwaa-readmore]

“Don’t forget to make time to celebrate your accomplishments and share your successes with others.” — Claudia, ’18

Being a First-Generation College Student in my family was truly meaningful. It meant that I had an opportunity to forge my own path in life. Growing up on a small island in Washington (Camano), there were not a lot of opportunities, but after getting accepted and deciding to attend the UW, I felt so many paths opened for me. I had a lot of internal and external motivation to go to college: I had younger siblings and I wanted them to see me as a role model. I wanted them to see the possibilities and know that I could be a future resource as well when they wanted to pursue higher education.

Additionally, I am a naturally curious person and I love learning. I consider myself a life-long learner. College was a foregone conclusion for me as soon as I learned that college existed! Looking back, I owe my current successful career to my studies here as a student. I was a Work Study student with the School of Social Work Admissions for four years and this was an invaluable experience. I am currently the Assistant Director of Finance Shared Services, I have had several progressive positions at the University of Washington including a period working with the Executive Vice President’s Office.

There were so many good experiences from college that shaped me into the person I am today. The UW had a way of gently but firmly encouraging me to get out of my comfort zone and join clubs and build community. I gravitated towards the resources that focused on balance between studies, family, friends and community. I used many resources on campus from study rooms at Odegaard, to the Career Center, and the Ethnic Cultural Center, professor office hours, copy/print centers, loaner-laptop program, attending performances/personally performing in Meany Hall, and many others. I built friendships that persist to this day which established a professional network when I entered my career.

When I needed support at the University I leaned into community-based organizations on campus, both academic groups such as Phi Eta Sigma and Unidas Seremos, a multicultural women’s organization on campus. Unidas was and still is a student organization run out of the ECC. I held several leadership roles in the organization over the years and the women in this organization were a constant resource for questions/concerns throughout the years.

Advice I would give my future self, is study abroad! I was a bit timid and introverted and I think studying abroad would have been a fantastic experience. Also join a study group!! This is a great way to break up the work, meet new friends and develop collaboration skills.

The UW is a wonderful place to study and work, I value all of my time here over the last 15 years! [/uwaa-readmore]

“The UW had a way of gently but firmly encouraging me to get out of my comfort zone and join clubs and build community.” — Mercedes, ’12

When you’re a first-generation college student with our tribes, it not only involves your immediate family, but whole tribal community.

My father grew up on the Umatilla Indian Reservation and my mother grew up on the Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene Indian Reservations. They met at the Chemewa Indian Boarding School in the 1930’s and married after WWII. My father started to work on Boeing projects in Seattle that required a military security clearance, which he had received as an interpreter during the war.

I grew up in Renton, Washington when only 30% of the tribal population lived in urban areas, whereas in 2020, about 70% of the tribal population lives in urban areas. In the 1970’s there were only 1,200 Indian science and engineers and now there’s over 25,000.

In 1972, I didn’t realize that I would be one of the rare tribal students to graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degree in forest engineering. But it was even more rare to be an urban Indian and return to work with my tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, as the forest manager from 1984 to 1986. I also returned to the Spokane Indian Reservation where my mother grew up and I was the forest manager from 1986 to 1994.

I was motivated to attend college by three things back in the 1970’s. First, the University of Washington held a recruiting session during my senior year at Renton High School in 1972. The recruiters came to our school and wanted me to apply, especially when they found out that I was a tribal member. I planned on attending community college to improve my math and science skills, but they told me about the UW Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) that provided remedial classes for supporting minority students.

The second motivation to attend college was the cost in 1972. Tuition for community college was $88 per quarter and $188 per quarter at UW. I worked at KFC during the summer at the minimum wage of $1.60/hr and saved enough money to attend college. I also received $300 from our Tribe which paid for half of my tuition for the year.

The third motivation to attend and finish college was finding out that I could work outside in the forest as a career.

“The third motivation to attend and finish college was finding out that I could work outside in the forest as a career.” — Don, ’78

The best thing about my college experience was the ability to be part of several communities during my time at UW. My first community was the UW EOP Indian Program with Don Matt and Arla Conway. They provided a connection to the EOP program opportunities with remedial classes and tutor services along with the small Native community at UW in the 1970’s.

My second community involved the School of Forestry and summer programs. I started working at the Seattle Arboretum during the summer of 1973 with the Director Joe Witt and that experience led to my next summer job. I started living and working at the Seattle Watershed in North Bend, Washington as a “Fire Guard” during the summers of 1974-1977. I lived and worked with a crew of eight other students that helped set up timber sales, measured trees for the 10-year forest inventory, designed forest roads and recorded weather station data manually. The forestry school had a family style of community where Professor Dave Scott would invite his students to a dinner at his home to share food and stories. Dr. Scott was the first professor to mention the great opportunities of Indian forests to me. The forestry school would also host the Garb Day at Pack Forest near Eatonville, Washington where the students participated in logging competitions along with more stories and food. Our forest engineering senior class capstone project was to set up timber sales for the Washington State Department of Natural Resource on the Olympic Peninsula where we lived in the State’s fire crew quarters in Forks, Washington for the Spring 1978 quarter.

My third community was the UW Rugby Club from 1975-1978. My first experience watching rugby was my first game up in Vancouver, BC. My position was in the second row of the “scrum” and I spent 80 minutes in a large shoving match with my mates against other mates from Maple Ridge. After the game we would spend the next 80 minutes drinking, eating and singing with the opposing team who then became our rugby brothers. The UW Rugby Club hosted an annual Rugby Mudball Tournament each spring on the fields between Husky Stadium and the Montlake Parking lots. I remember working on the program committee and securing sponsors from the local bars and restaurants near the area. I was happy to find another Native on the team, John Spence from the Gros Ventre Tribe and he also graduated from the local Highline High School. Our team photo and John’s extraordinary autobiography is in his book, “Crazy Wolf: A Half Breed Story.”

My forestry, rugby community and other drinking friends did expose my alcohol problem that led to a night in jail, a DUI and poor grades that led to academic probation in 1976. My Native community provided life-changing support through one of my first UW connections, Arla Conway. She helped me by introducing me to new sober friends in the Native community and my life started to turn around in 1977 and 1978. I ended up on the Dean’s List with a 3.77 GPA for my last quarter at UW.

My years as first-gen student at UW did provide me with what I called Cayuse Justice: What Goes Around Comes Around. [/uwaa-readmore]

“The best thing about my college experience was the ability to be part of several communities during my time at UW.” — Don, ’78

To be the first in my family to go to college means breaking generational cycles and healing generational trauma. While I may be the first in my family to graduate, I most certainly will not be the last. In all honesty, it feels surreal that after all my hard work from high school and undergrad, I can say I’m officially a college graduate. The journey was emotional, lonely, and overwhelming; yet it has also been meaningful and rewarding. To be a first-generation college graduate is to be the manifestation of my ancestors’ dreams.

“While I may be the first in my family to graduate, I most certainly will not be the last.”
–Anisa, ‘24

As a first-generation student, I had pressure to go to college right after high school which shaped who I thought I should be. I had conflicting ideas about what success looked it and how to navigate higher education. This made me question what I wanted to study and the career field I wanted to go in. I knew I wanted to help my community but didn’t know what types of career paths I could take besides healthcare.

I remember my first quarter at the UW, I took a prerequisite course for many STEM-related majors and felt so out of place around my peers. I quickly realized to even catch up with them I needed to do extra work as I was not used to the fast-paced, rigorous, and competitive learning environment.

Learning as I went, I sought various resources to support my academic journey as a first-generation college student. My experiences as a first-generation college student shaped my values of learning, growth, and community, which led to the start of my career working at various nonprofits and pursuing a Masters degree in Nonprofit Leadership.

Being a first-generation graduate is a huge privilege and accomplishment. Honoring those who came before me and planted the seeds which allowed me to be where I am today. I am part of a legacy for future generations to be curious and achieve goals that they didn’t know were possible.

I would share with current and future first-generation students that you are exactly where you need to be. You are here for a reason and even if it feels unclear to push through and seek support. Push through the barriers, hardships, and imposter syndrome. There are so many resources out there to support you, take the initiative to seek them out. Find your community of support early on and lean on each other. You are resilient and I’ll be rooting for you on the sidelines! [/uwaa-readmore]

“ I am part of a legacy for future generations to be curious and achieve goals that they didn’t know were possible.”
–Kimmy, ‘20

My parents brought my siblings and I to the States in the mid-90’s for us to have the opportunity to attend college and pursue the American dream. Seeing my parents work hard to support the family was what motivated me to be the first one in the family to get a college degree.

Getting into college and through college weren’t easy – I’m grateful for the mentors and counselors who have guided me along the way. My parents were my biggest advocates and were among those who have provided the moral support.

My advice to my college self is to not be afraid of failure and to give every dream and aspiration a chance to become reality by trying it out.

“My parents were my biggest advocates.” —Vu, ‘07