First-Generation College Stories

Growing up, I never expected to go to college. It was something accessible only to rich people in my mind. Low income, home-schooled and working several part-time jobs left little time for school so I worked part-time jobs for a few years.

When my youngest sisters entered middle school, I was motivated to try and secure a better future for them. I applied to dozens of full-time jobs with no luck. I knew that I needed a college degree to get where I wanted to be, but I was completely bewildered as to how to start. One of my other sisters had done Running Start for a little while during high school, and through her I heard about financial aid.

I started classes at South Seattle College in Winter Quarter 2011. I was a few years older than your typical college freshman, and bewildered by the whole process. I didn’t consider the fact that I was a first generation student until I applied to TRiO.

I continued working several part-time jobs. There were many days where I had to choose between commuting costs and meals, I wasn’t sure if I was cut out to transfer. I secured a stable part-time job at the college I attended and waited a year to apply to transfer. I was shocked when I was accepted to the University of Washington, and completely overwhelmed.

Where would I live? How would I get to work? What would my teachers be like? I felt like a small fish in a big, big pond.

My colleague and friend gave me a piece of advice; he told me “Find your niche, find your people.”

I thought to myself, it’s easier said than done especially when I was an older transfer student. But I trusted his advice and sought opportunities to get involved on campus, despite how awkward it felt at first.

By the next quarter, I was part of a student committee and had made friends across campus. Having friends on campus and feeling that I was contributing to something bigger than myself made a difference during difficult times. I am grateful to have been able to share my accomplishments, meals and memories with life-long friends.

One of my favorite memories is walking across campus with a group of my friends late at night, after a full day of committee events and meetings.

I feel that my friend and colleague’s advice is as relevant today as it was in 2013. If I were to give my former self some advice, it would be this: He’s right, find your people, find your niche. Find something on campus that resonates with you and connects you to a community.

“Having friends on campus and feeling that I was contributing to something bigger than myself made a difference during difficult times.”
–Kathryn, ‘15

My family moved from San Francisco to Mercer Island in the fall of 1962. Between my junior and senior year at Mercer Island High School, we moved back to the Bay Area. Despite the fact that my parents barely graduated high school, they always made me feel like college was simply an extension of high school; the only choice was where to go. After being accepted at UC Berkeley and the UW, it was an easy decision for me to return to Seattle. I joined the UW Daily staff right away and changed my major from undeclared to Communications. I advanced from sports writer to sports editor to night editor to managing editor to, finally, Editor for the first half of my senior year. The best thing about my college experience was to learn independence; how to live without being physically close to my family. I absolutely thrived. I don’t know that I would give my college self any advice. I needed to live it.

“The best thing about my college experience was to learn independence.” —Larry, ‘72

For me, attending college and attaining a bachelor’s degree was the epitome of my family’s American dream. I am the child of two immigrants who have struggled tooth and nail to establish a life in a new country, where to this day, they do not speak the language or have a strong support system. The sense of responsibility has always resonated very strongly with me; in order to ensure my parents’ sacrifices were properly honored, I had to keep achieving and exceeding all standards set before me.

Attending college, which is something no one in my family or extended family had done, established the sense in my family that they were officially true Americans and were rooted properly in this country. Whenever I struggled, I was able to lean on my fellow Huskies, many of whom were also first-generation college students.

I made several friends in my classes in the Communications department, and also made several friends that I depended on for military mentorship in the ROTC programs (as it was my goal to commission through the Army’s Officer Candidate School after graduating). The friends I made are people that I now consider life-long friends, and I think they were the best part of my college experience.

Looking back, I would tell my college self that it’ll be okay! I achieved everything I wanted and more. I commissioned as one of the youngest US Army officers to come out of OCS, and I am still pushing boundaries out here. Classes are hard, growing up is hard, navigating new areas of life is hard, but it was all so worth it in the end.

“Whenever I struggled, I was able to lean on my fellow Huskies, many of whom were also first-generation college students.” –Elisa, ‘19

Being a First Generation College Student means to pass on a ton of gratitude to folks related to me. Without their commitment, support and encouragement, this journey would not have been possible.

Belonging to a family which migrated to the United States of America during the early 2000s in pursuit of more opportunity, I was always told to follow their footsteps and learn from their hurdles along the way. Now that I have completed my four year degree from the UW, I feel immensely proud of myself but also at the same time too privileged. Students from around the world dream of heading to America for higher education, and I out of everybody got the opportunity to study at this prestigious university which is a blessing.

The advice I would give to my college self would be, “Don’t be discouraged by everybody around you who you think are doing better than you in terms of their major, grades, coursework etc. After college, there are even greater learnings that lie ahead of you. You should focus on what you are good at in the given moment, and leave everything else for later.”

At UW Bothell, the day I joined Husky Herald (College Newspaper), I was so thrilled to began writing for them. My Editor-in-Chief Ashley Creech pointed out that the opportunities are endless here and we are always looking for contributors. I began writing on campus events and later on developed a unique perspective on writing which shaped my abilities to think differently. There are countless opportunities that I didn’t go for during my four years, but I am grateful for the ones that I took a shot at.

“You should focus on what you are good at in the given moment, and leave everything else for later.” — Dhruv, ’21

My two older brothers and I are all first-generation college graduates. We are also first-generation High School graduates!

Our parents grew up in large farming families of the Midwest during the Great Depression. They received only an 8th grade education which was typical of their time and situation. They grew up speaking German and learned English as their second language, but they were reprimanded for speaking any German at school. So you know that our education was extremely important to them.

I completed an Associate’s degree in 1976 following High School and had a nursing career. I’d always wanted a Bachelor’s degree so I returned to college at UW Seattle at age 35. Part of my reason was to provide a legacy for my daughters to get a college education.

During my time at the UW I continued to work and raise a family while commuting from Pierce County to Seattle. I really enjoyed taking the Metro bus from Federal Way non-stop to the U. It was like a library on wheels, very quiet and provided time to study and reflect — no traffic stress and extra time in my day. In 1992 I graduated Cum Laude from the first RN to BSN program at the UW. It remains the proudest moment of my life.

“Part of my reason was to provide a legacy for my daughters to get a college education.” — Jane, ’92

I never thought much about being a first-generation college student. During my early years, mother frequently voiced her expectation — I would go to college. Yes, I would be the first in our family to do so.

One of my grandfathers was a baker, the other a farmer. The role of mother was at home as homemaker. My parents grew up during the depression and graduated high school. Father was a truck driver/salesman for a beer and soft drink distributor in Olympia. After high school, my mother work for a couple years as a bookkeeper, then her role was at home. Along with my mother’s expectation of my going to college, I would need to work, earn money, and save money to make that happen. In hindsight, I just accepted this as the path I needed to pursue.

One summer, I tried picking strawberries to earn money, and found that was a lot of work for not much return. I watched how our paperboy delivered ours and neighbor’s newspapers, he made it look easy. I was too young to have my own paper route. I found substituting part time for a couple of years was a good alternative, as I got a call whenever it rained, which was frequent.

My diligence as a paperboy paid off, as I had my own Daily Olympian route from 1955-1959, with 100 customers. It also opened other doors working for the newspaper during high school in the circulation department, and other departments to fill in for vacations. This work experience gave me the funds to make college possible. Olympia was still considered a small town. Any concerns I had about going away to college I kept to myself. So many unknowns lay in my future.

An aunt and uncle living in Seattle offered that I could live with them and attend the University of Washington. That seemed like a workable transition. I was not in a position for a scholarship, nor did I explore any other colleges. What should I study? My first thought was Architecture. Speaking with a course counselor at the U of W, left me discouraged. Maybe I didn’t show enough passion for that profession and the unknowns got larger.

One unlikely exposure was a required class — ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corp). At that time, ROTC was a compulsory course for the first two years at all land grant colleges. At the University of Washington, I chose Air Force ROTC (Detachment 910) over the Army and Navy programs. Flying seemed interesting, probably more “intriguing” as I had never been in an airplane. I selected business as my course of study.

My uncle Andy owned an acoustical contracting company in Seattle. I must have expressed some doubt about whether or not I could make it through college. He offered me a backup plan — where I could also learn the acoustical trade in case college didn’t work out for me. There were work opportunities while going to school, and I gained the skills of installing acoustical tile ceilings. One of the most challenging and rewarding was the remodel of the Ice Arena at the Seattle World’s Fair — a dropped ceiling varying between 10’–20′ from the old interior ceiling, and each tile was a domed shell 4’x4′ and placed into the supporting grid.

My work experience, alongside and observing other trade jobs, played a key role in why I wanted a college education. Yes, one could earn a living in these trades, but I didn’t want to do any of these jobs for the rest of my life.

“Yes, one could earn a living in these trades, but I didn’t want to do any of these jobs for the rest of my life.” — James, ’64

During my sophomore year in college, there were many firsts. My first car. No longer did I have to walk or ride the bus from near Green Lake to the U of W. Another first: a Fraternity showed interest in me — I joined — Sigma Phi Epsilon. During my senior year, I was vice president of this 85-man line-in house.

My experience in ROTC shined brighter. The instructors in Detachment 910 showed interest in me. My discipline from delivering newspapers and family life made the military structure seem easy. I accepted it and excelled.

The real carrot for me was during Advanced ROTC and a program called FIP (Flight Indoctrination Program). I was blessed to be physically qualified to fly. I obtained my FAA Private Pilot’s License through this program flying out of the Renton Airport. Once I took that step toward flying, the confidence I gained reinforced my future career path towards flying.

I graduated University of Washington (1964). My degree was in business — and I graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as a 2Lt in the U.S. Air Force. That ceremony involved my mother and my aunt each pinning the gold bar rank insignia on the shoulders of my uniform. Three weeks later, I entered the Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training Program.

In 1967, after returning from a combat tour in Vietnam, The Daily Olympian newspaper had a full-page tribute for National Newspaperboy Day. This was a salute to their 171 Junior Dealers. They featured me as one of their Junior Dealers (1955-1959), who saved his earnings and paid his college tuition, and had recent combat tour accomplishments as a 1Lt in the U.S. Air Force.

We no longer have newspaper boys as we knew then… but I’m grateful for what I was able to accomplish by delivering papers, and the path for this first-generation college student, an opportunity that my parents and grandparents didn’t have.

My education at the University of Washington and the motivation from my life experiences opened doors of opportunity. From one who entered college, and hadn’t yet experienced flight in an airplane, and chose flying as a career. I am grateful for my 26 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, and a follow-on career flying for FedEx.

“My work experience, alongside and observing other trade jobs, played a key role in why I wanted a college education.” — James, ’64

Being a First Generation College Student means the world to me. I grew up watching shows like “A Different World” and “The Cosby Show” that were the only shows that portrayed black and brown folks in a positive, academic, successful and professional light. I knew that was what I wanted to do. They promoted the fact that knowledge is for everyone, information is a resource and available to everyone.

I didn’t have anyone in my family that went to college or even attempted to make the jump into higher education. So I was proud to be the first, but not the last. I think I helped open the door to what was once seen as an impossibility in my family. And I am so glad UW is a part of that story.

College was always the goal for my life from a very young age. I was well aware of the privilege that exists for those with a college education. And the fact that not too far in the distant history of our country I would have been denied access to my dream of a college degree. That drove me and continues to drive me to complete the full scope of higher education. Earning every degree in my lifetime. I am currently working on my doctorate.

The best thing about my college experience thus far was moving away from my family and attending Eastern Washington University for the first three years of college. It forced me to step outside what I was familiar with and grow up. I needed it. And I came back home ready to give it all I had. Working full time while wrapping up my education at UW! My dream school and my proudest achievement academically to date. Getting my acceptance letter after the Comprehensive Entrance Exam was the second highlight of my career. I always wanted to attend the UW and I was so excited to be a Husky. Finally, getting my Lifetime Alumni card in the mail was my third highlight, LOL. I have a lot, I love education and learning. But having that card means I accomplished something and am recognized for that and it means the world to me.

For support I turned mostly to my family just for encouragement. No one can complete the journey for you, so you have to find the strength to get through hard challenges. I also have a strong faith in God and I know he’ll never bring me to something that he hasn’t already equipped me to get through it.

What advice would I give to my college self? Stay focused, don’t listen to the people that told you that you can’t complete the program in the timeline you’ve set for yourself. I would say it gets easier, just keep pushing through. All the hard work is worth it in the end. And we were built to do hard things, nothing is impossible and you were born to be great!

“I think I helped open the door to what was once seen as an impossibility in my family.” –Yolonda, ’05

First Generation graduate… had not really thought of that label… My dad did go to Gonzaga for two years but was advised to get a job and make babies… my dad did survive WWII, Pacific… and had training in electronics of the time, but the attempt at electrical engineering degree was advised against… not sure if my mom finished high school or not… they were both born in the early 1920’s… from very rural places… their upbringing as survivors and doers by example earned my respect and affected my outlook… My dad’s attempt at university left him with a mostly positive outlook on education… he kept learning to support a family of a stay-at-home mom and 5 kids… I am the eldest… in time all of us added to our educations beyond high school levels.

Going to college was a cultural expectation… So the 70’s were my college /university decade… I worked at the lumbermill my dad was working at during summers mostly to earn money for school, living at home when not in a dorm… First it was Tacoma Community College, got most of the general stuff for distributions out of the way… got some art training in that time… was thinking of Botany and drawing could have been useful tool… got the social sciences out of the way there. Got my Associate of Arts and Science degree done on time… Got accepted to University of Washington in Fall 1973, lived in the top floor of the Terry Hall dorm…. Why did I not visit Vietnam at this time… the draft lottery got classified as 1-H (don’t even go for a physical) my number was so high it was not a worry for me.

So first quarter I had to wait for the higher level biology that biology/botany/medical students were required to take… the permission to take it was something I did not know about until registering for classes, so got a Science Fiction class (writing class) and a Genetics 451 class, that did not require the biology series first… got an Ace in that class, it was an interest before university… I did in the following 2 quarters double up a couple of the required Bio 210/211/212 so I did get that done in first year… I had figured to finish in 3 years at UW and get a good balance of science, my Math was done at TCC to beyond requirements.

So things like Geology, Atmospheric Sciences were among the non-Botany classes when I had space, I did not do any business or Art classes at UW… complications in earning money happened the summer before my 3rd year…. strike at lumbermill after I got on for one day, we are a union family… so no work that summer… I don’t consider myself a very good job hunter, but my expenses were low… no car, no girlfriend so savings got me to Winter ’76 when I got my BS in Botany end of Winter quarter instead of spring… I did have to borrow $200 from my parents and work in the dorm dining room as a server for less than minimum wage ($2/ hour was my wage)… After that little setback… I decided to work a year and a half to pay back parents and save money for 2 more years… did that okay with the lumbermill, actually got enough time to apply to my pension plan.

Started my 2 more years as a 5th year student, decide to change to Zoology major to get classes I wanted, I was into the Mycology classes, with my flexibility of what I could take I could have added a BA in Zoology with 5 more credits in a vertebrate class, but was not into the dissection of vertebrates, I had been disjointing whole chicken for cooking way before that… I had a pretty good idea about analogous structures in vertebrates… study of bugs was more useful for a Botanist… in that extra 2 years I even took a basic physics class for non-majors the 2 quarter version… it did not require calculus but I had that anyway, so when the professor was trying to fill in the math I had that anyway…

“The last years were the best ones… I did not have too work and do school at same time…” — Elton, ’76

The last years were the best ones… I even hosted a D&D game in my last two quarters in the dorm… I did not have too work and do school at same time… I finished in Spring of 1979 with what I wanted… My Mycology professor retired from teaching in ’79 also… was good with my BS from ’76 plus two years. Got what I wanted with no outstanding debt from schooling… the Golden Years for students I guess.

I had family support during that time getting to TCC for two years was getting dropped off by my dad on his way to work… and the walk home was two miles… found about 150 agates in the same stretch of road gravel plus a few coins and a truck driver paid me a buck for helping him get a nut/bolt loosened to change valve for switching fuel tanks… I did get more social in the dorm but didn’t having much play money… I have the memory of helping to paint the mural that was done in Rainer House… did the bushes… the mural is gone… the lead artist died… drugs… the dorm is gone… I did not see the Huskies play… was not into it much. I think most of my professors are dead by now… I did have a crush on a nice girl, but other things started happening in life. I did get hired by another lumbermill on the same pension plan… that I am living on now…

Advice… to people going school after high school… Community Colleges are a good place to consider what path you really want… my younger brother did a scholarship to MIT and did the loan route, he got his double degrees in engineering and finance… got a good job from it… for me Botany became more of a hobby… the lumbermill paid better than ‘grain inspector.’ One of my sisters did the business route and got a job managing… another sister did army between wars… later did schooling in programing and later from a secretary job became a creator and manager of an IT department for a company… My littlest sister in time after doing bartending got trained as an Aerospace Assembly Mechanic when Boeing was doing the training… She did work on most of the 747 line of planes, you may have flown on a plane she worked on… I have niece that did university and is working in Geology and another that trained as a dental assistant… working… and so on… our paths in life can be very different, maybe my going to University and my brother going also has set expectations for my parents’ grand- and great-grandkids to attend school in some form beyond the basic high school… I did not need my degrees for work, but I have found it valuable to have done it… it even allows me to understand the way a pandemic would progress a bit better than average that don’t have the biological training… learning is valuable…

To keep costs down consider the Community Colleges… consider transferring to a University if they offer what you need… pick the brains of any advisors… you can find out about costs and how you can get what you want… but also once you find out what need… like that permission for a bottleneck class… they may exist in other majors… find out what programs will accept for transfer credits… most of mine applied, my PE credits at TCC was required for the TCC degree but not for the UW degree… know what you need several years out… can you cut your expenses to a minimum? What kind of job can you get to pay before going… while going… and after you get what you want… after the last lumbermill I worked for shut down I got retraining grant from feds… got my certification, but the demand for the job I retrained for, the training center put on so many training slots… the job market got flooded… that retraining did not get me a job before I retired. That whole job market dance is a whole different skill to be aware of… and social media hazards…

“Community Colleges are a good place to consider what path you really want.”
—Elton, ’76