麻豆传媒

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Being first can be a good thing. But in college, being first in your family to pursue higher education can make things challenging and disorienting. For first-generation students, it鈥檚 often about overcoming barriers, breaking new ground, carving out opportunities and tackling challenges along the way.  

 At 麻豆传媒, first-generation college students bring unique strengths and perspectives that define their journeys and enrich the campus. They are driven to show their families what is possible, making them proud. 

 But that comes with pressure to not mess up or let down family, friends, teachers and others who cheered them on. The pressure to succeed鈥�鈥�鈥�whether internal or external鈥�鈥�鈥�can be debilitating.  

 麻豆传媒 is well-positioned to serve first-gen students better than many other universities. The university offers dozens of specially designed programs and services to keep first-gen students on track academically, financially and socially.  

 This fall, 麻豆传媒 received two important designations recognizing its service to first-gen students exceptionally well. In November 2024, 麻豆传媒 earned designation as a by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, becoming part of a national, collaborative network serving millions of first-generation students at hundreds of institutions.  

 During First-Generation Celebration Week, 麻豆传媒 received a second designation 鈥� the Colorado Department of Higher Education鈥檚 inaugural First Generation-Serving Campus designation. This honor was awarded to select universities enrolling a higher-than-average number of first-generation students for at least three years.  

 In fall 2024, 麻豆传媒 enrolled 44% first-gen undergraduate students, compared to the national average of 34% and the state average of 37% (2021). 

 鈥淣avigating college as a first-generation student often means facing unique barriers, like understanding complex systems, finding resources or simply feeling a sense of belonging,鈥� said Flora Powells, M.A., director of 鲍狈颁鈥檚 Center for Human Enrichment (CHE), a TRiO Student Support Services Program. 

In their words 

Current students and alumni share what it means to be a first-generation college student at 麻豆传媒鈥嗏�斺�唗heir experiences, challenges, fears, opportunities and successes. Their grit, adaptability, hard work, commitment and resiliency shine through.  

A Place that Feels Like Home  

Elisabeth Hernandez-Caballero  
Junior Nursing student  
Hometown: Denver, Colorado  

For Elisabeth, finding a college where she felt like she belonged and leaving her family were some of the most challenging parts of being a first-gen student.  

 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know where to start or how to prepare鈥�...鈥�what to look for or what a good school looked like, along with not knowing how to navigate FAFSA to get financial aid. It took a lot of learning and patience. It was a challenge to leave my family and move to Greeley,鈥� said Elisabeth.  

 While she wanted to earn a college degree for herself, she also wanted that for her family.  

 鈥淚 decided to pursue a college degree because my parents didn鈥檛 get the chance to go to college due to financial barriers and responsibilities. I want to show my parents that all their hard work is getting paid off,鈥� said Elisabeth.  

 After overcoming those challenges, Elisabeth settled into university life.  

 鈥溌槎勾�媒 is the best fit for me because there is an amazing community that is very welcoming and willing to help. The size is great. It鈥檚 not too big where I can get lost but not too small where everyone knows me,鈥� she said.  

 Like many in the Bear community, the feeling of giving back while paying tribute to those who came before inspires Elisabeth.  

 鈥淢y BSN means a lot to me. It is an accomplishment for my parents to say thank you for all their hard work. It means that I am part of that generation of theirs to go to college and get a degree, especially being Hispanic. It means that I can be that nurse during vulnerable times just [like when] someone was there with my mom before she became an angel,鈥� shares Elisabeth.  

鈥淭his degree is not just about passing classes and taking exams, it鈥檚 also about all my victories though hardship that were along my journey as a college student鈥︹��Being a first-generation student is something special and unique to identify as.鈥� 

A Home Away From Home 

Roxana Villezca  
Sophomore Nursing student  
Hometown: Denver, Colorado 

For Roxana, being first-gen means more hard work to navigate study habits, time management, processes and financial aid.  

鈥淏eing a first-generation college student means that it is going to take a lot more hard work for you than for a traditional student鈥�...鈥�to figure out those simple questions,鈥� said Roxana.  

鈥淔or example, FAFSA. The first time filling that out was so scary. I often lean on my mom for advice or help. She was like, 鈥橧 have no idea. This is the first time I have no idea how I can help you.鈥� 

鈥淢y parents had me at the age of 16. My mom was a straight A student in high school. She attempted to go to college, but taking care of a 2-year old at the same time鈥�...鈥�is that really the easiest thing to do?鈥� said Roxana.  

鈥淭hey were very supportive, but [it鈥檚 been] a little challenging financial wise just because going to university is really, really expensive,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hankfully, I have two scholarships, Stryker and Reisher. Two really good ones that help me be who I want to be here as a student.  

When asked if she was aware of those scholarships before starting college, Roxana replies she did not.  

鈥淚 didn't know much of anything,鈥� admitted Roxana. 鈥淏ut thankfully the CHE program helped me find so many resources. That just really opened a lot of doors for me.鈥� 

鲍狈颁鈥檚 CHE is a is a federally funded TRiO program that serves about 200 students per year. Roxana first learned about CHE at Destination 麻豆传媒, an event for newly admitted students.  

鈥淚 came to check out the campus with my family. I went into one of the seminars and that鈥檚 where I saw Flora [Powells],鈥� recalled Roxana. Many students describe immediately feeling the warmth of the CHE community upon entering the space. 

鈥淚 felt like right off the bat we just had such a good connection. I felt like she really understood where my family and I were coming from. So, I knew from that start 麻豆传媒 was going to be my home. And CHE was going to be my home away from home.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Roxana fell in love with 麻豆传媒 when she first set foot on campus.  

鈥淚 just loved campus. I loved how it had a very small ratio of professors to students. I think that鈥檚 really beneficial. You don鈥檛 really see that anywhere else. It鈥檚 usually big classrooms or big lecture halls.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

She cites the strong faculty and staff support as important to her success.  

鈥淭he biggest thing is every professor at 麻豆传媒 I鈥檝e met is just super understanding. Whether it鈥檚 that I work at the CHE front desk, whether it鈥檚 I didn鈥檛 get good enough sleep last night, I was up until 2 a.m. studying for an exam鈥�... and is OK if I come in an hour later?  They are super understanding.  

鈥淥verall, everyone鈥檚 super helpful. You always feel like you have a group of 10 people behind you,鈥� said Roxana.  

Under Pressure 

Imposter syndrome is common among first-gen students. It refers to a persistent feeling of self-doubt, believing you don't belong or aren鈥檛 qualified for your academic achievements, despite your hard work. First-gen students often attribute their success to luck or external factors rather than their own abilities. 鈥� 

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a high rate of imposter syndrome within the first-generation community, especially for Hispanic first-generation students. There鈥檚 always this idea in the back of your head that no matter how much effort you put in and no matter how good you do, there鈥檚 always room for improvement,鈥� said Roxana.  

鈥淚 was studying for many hours every night and then I get an 80 on the exam. Sometimes I didn鈥檛 feel like it was enough, that maybe I could have studied harder. 

鈥淭here's definitely a lot of self-doubt,鈥� adds Roxana. 鈥淪o many people back at home want you to do good so there's this initial pressure because you're the first one going to college. You kind of have to set the tone for your younger siblings or cousins.鈥� 

CHE has been instrumental in Roxana鈥檚 success.  

 鈥淲e have study nights at CHE. Even though we鈥檙e all different majors, it鈥檚 just nice to have that community. We know the struggles that other students are going through, so being able to have empathy really helps build that community and that vulnerability.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

The Complete Unknowns  

Sage Pennethy  
Senior Healthcare Administration student  
Hometown: Pueblo, Colorado  

For Sage, the most challenging part of navigating college was feeling lost and unsure.  

鈥淚 had no clear direction, and it was overwhelming to navigate all the unknowns. I had so many questions, but I didn鈥檛 always know where to turn for answers. I distinctly remember nearly dropping out during my freshman year because of the immense pressure I placed on myself to meet everyone鈥檚 expectations,鈥� said Sage.  

鈥淚t was a tough journey, but it ultimately helped me grow.鈥� 

The aspiring health care professional found the resources she needed through 鲍狈颁鈥檚 Soar program and encouragement from her grandmother.  

鈥淚 found tremendous support from Melinda Gurule, the Soar success coach. Her guidance, patience and ability to listen to my endless rants helped me navigate this journey and gave me the confidence to push forward.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

鲍狈颁鈥檚 Soar program is often the first stop for students trying to find their way through college life. The staff provide academic advising and support for all types of students struggling with the transition to college, from first-generation, transfer students and undeclared majors to Denver Scholars and Independent Youth who are at risk.  

鈥淢y grandmother has been my greatest source of support. She raised me from a young age, and her wisdom and love always helped calm my fears. She reminded me that it鈥檚 okay to feel scared and lost, but that I was supported no matter what I chose to pursue,鈥� said Sage.  

To serve others, Sage is a mentor to first-year students in Soar programs, such as Bears First, Denver Scholars, Independent Youth and First-Generation programs.  

Sage receives strong financial support at 麻豆传媒 which includes the merit-based Presidential Scholarship, providing at least $3,000 per year. She also receives scholarships from community organizations, including the Pueblo African American Concern Organization and the Juneteenth Organization of Pueblo.  

In addition to financial and academic support, tenacity helped Sage persevere.  

鈥淒espite facing challenges, including the thought of dropping out my freshman year, I stuck with it. This degree is a testament to my resilience. It proves that even when life seemed overwhelming, I could push through. The tears, the late nights and the triumphs are all part of this journey. I鈥檓 proud to say that I, Sage Pennethy, will be a 2025 麻豆传媒 graduate!鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Paying It Forward to the Next Generation  

Nikki Cooper, 鈥�15 
Communications  
Hometown: Pavillion, Wyoming 

Nikki Cooper, 鈥�15, arrived at 麻豆传媒 from Pavillion, Wyoming, a rural town of 200 people. She grew up on a farm and was first in her family to attend college.  

鈥淚鈥檓 really grateful that I found 麻豆传媒 on a whim because it was basically close enough but far enough away. I loved the campus. It just seemed so welcoming,鈥� said Nikki.  

The former Communications major reflects on her first-gen experience at 麻豆传媒 in and out of the classroom.  

鈥淚f you miss class, your professor is going to know. And I say this in the best way because it鈥檚 great to feel seen as someone who鈥檚 a first-gen. We are not seen very often. We鈥檙e often overlooked in the processes and in the system,鈥� said Nikki.  

鈥淲hen the professor sees you and when the professors want to engage with you and want the best for you, like if you miss class and they care. That is so important to your success on campus.鈥�  

She says feeling like she belonged was probably one of the biggest indicators of success.  

鈥淭hat鈥檚 so hard [to communicate to students] because yes, there's all the flashy things [at universities]. But at the end of the day, you're going to thrive most somewhere where you belong. And you're gonna feel like you belong somewhere where people see you. That's my biggest thing 鈥� I did feel seen by the professors, the faculty and staff [at 麻豆传媒],鈥� said Nikki. 

鈥淚 think small class sizes, being able to show up and talk to your professors, and them knowing who I was allowed me to have opportunities that I don鈥檛 think I otherwise would have had if my professors didn鈥檛 know me. They鈥檙e like, 鈥極h, this sounds really great for you. Try this.鈥� I think that鈥檚 not something you鈥檙e gonna get at all institutions,鈥� explains Nikki.  

Nikki鈥檚 rural upbringing and first-gen experience at 麻豆传媒 helped start her career in higher education, from the University of Nebraska to Stanford and now at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as assistant director of Admissions for Rural Outreach.  

鈥淢y position is specifically for rural and small-town student outreach,鈥� said Nikki  

The new initiative is called the STARS (Small-Town and Rural Students) College Network, a partnership with 32 top colleges across the U.S. to recruit and support students from rural and small-town backgrounds.  

Nikki points out that these students are simply not applying or enrolling into these institutions. The STARS network provides greater access for them. 

鈥淎s someone who was a first-gen student, I can understand and really honor that experience.鈥� Although not part of her official job, Nikki mentors first-gen students through a program at MIT.  

鈥淚 really wanted to pay it forward鈥�...鈥唗o be that person for somebody else.鈥�  

Like many first-gen students, Nikki had doubts along the way.  

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I was going to be able to graduate college. And then I did it鈥�...鈥咺 was the first one in my family to [do it]. It was a big moment for me and for my family, who may not have had the same opportunities as me but were incredibly proud.鈥�  

Nikki attributes much of her success to the time she spent as a work-study in 鲍狈颁鈥檚 Honors and Leadership Program.   

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I could have done it without the program and the people I met along the way,鈥� said Nikki. She was a work-study student in the Honors Program and attributes much of her college success to that office, which opened up her social circle. 

鈥淭hat's where I met a lot of my closest friends. Two people there, Margaret and Laurie, were really helpful to me, instrumental in helping me figure everything out, from navigating class schedules to how much I was working,鈥� said Nicki, who juggled two campus jobs at times. 

The Honors Program staff supported her through the ups and downs of college life. 

鈥淚 remember thinking 鈥業'm not going to make it. I'm not going to graduate, how am I going to do this?鈥� and hitting that low and coming out of it,鈥� said Nikki. 

Returning her second year, Nikki recalls significant fears and challenges. 

鈥淚 remember coming back my second year. I had gone home, and I was working a job in a clothing store for extra cash. They had offered me a promotion to assistant manager. And there was a part of me that was like, 鈥極h, I might quit and just work this job,鈥� recalled Nikki.  

鈥淚 didn't [take the promotion]. I remember at first being like, 鈥楢m I gonna regret this?鈥� At the time, it was a lot of money. But I remember thinking 鈥業 want to go back to college鈥� because I missed that community that I had.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Financial concerns are almost always a constant pressure on first-gen students. Nikki received financial aid, including a federal Pell Grant, an El Pomar Scholarship for students who demonstrate strong leadership potential and academic achievement, and many smaller scholarships.  

鈥淚 applied to so many scholarships when I was in high school, like those one-off scholarships. My dad was a UPS driver, and I applied to a scholarship through them. It was like $1,000 or something. I applied to a scholarship through Wells Fargo for $2,000 a year,鈥� said Nikki.  

She remembers constantly applying for scholarships even after she was in college.  

鈥淚 ended up getting pretty lucky with additional scholarships. Some were like $500 here, $250 here, but they all added up by the time I graduated. I always tell people no amount is too little,鈥� said Nikki.  

When asked what being first-gen means to her, Nikki responds, 鈥淓verything was unknown to me鈥�...鈥哸nd not even really knowing that you were first-gen鈥�...鈥唝ou knew you were first-gen, but you didn鈥檛 know what that meant.  

The not knowing covered everything from understanding housing options and the benefits of living with roommates to college being an experience more than just a means to an end.  

鈥淚 think at every step of the way, you鈥檙e kind of figuring out something new. And I didn鈥檛 really have anyone at home to call about college advice. Like do I join a sorority? What do I do? Do I do research?鈥�  

鈥淛ust navigating it all, there was constantly something new鈥︹��it kind of kept me from some things I think I could have taken advantage of鈥�.more opportunities if I had known how to access them or the benefits of the social aspect of college,鈥� admits Nikki. 

鈥淚 know that when I went [to college, I was definitely like, 鈥極h, I'm gonna get a degree. I'm gonna work a lot. I'm gonna get a lot of internships.鈥� And all those things are lovely, but there's this whole other aspect of going to college that I didn't think about until I was there,鈥� said Nikki. 

A few years after graduating from 麻豆传媒, Nikki moved to Boston. Although the transition from small Western towns to a major urban city was 鈥渞eally nerve-wracking,鈥� she recognized she had so much to grow from. 

鈥淓very step of my career I've always been like, 鈥極h my gosh, I can't believe I made it here!鈥� but every piece is built together. And I needed that first step at 麻豆传媒.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

After initially working in fundraising at Massachusetts General Hospital, Nikki found it didn鈥檛 satisfy her and returned to higher education, a space that was so important to her success. 

鈥淚 felt very supported at 麻豆传媒 and that was something that I really wanted to be able to give back,鈥� said Nikki. 鈥淚t's crazy how my whole college experience and me navigating that has become a big part of everything that I do now.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

She reflects on her time at 麻豆传媒 and what it gave her. 

鈥淚 wish more people knew about 麻豆传媒 because of the attention students get鈥嗏�斺�唀specially if you鈥檙e someone from a background that might need support, and you want to be seen if you鈥檙e from a minority or marginalized background,鈥� said Nikki.  

Working with 鈥渕any smart people鈥� in her career, Nikki often surprises them with her love of her college experience.   

鈥淲hen I talk about the opportunities available [at 麻豆传媒], people are always so shocked. But I tell them, 鈥榊ou鈥檇 be surprised at the support and resources I received,鈥� she said.   

鈥淚 credit a lot of my success over the course of my academic and professional career to a place that I think took care of me and saw me. That is really important.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

麻豆传媒, Nikki adds, was the perfect place for her to learn and grow as a first-gen student.   

鈥淚 remember visiting campus and feeling like they knew I was first-gen and would need some help. I鈥檝e never felt unprepared, if anything, 麻豆传媒 gave me confidence.  

鈥淚've worked at a handful of institutions and that's not necessarily always the case for a first-gen student. Even back in 2011 when I was applying, it wasn鈥檛 very prevalent. But I feel like at 麻豆传媒, I worked a lot with my professors on research and the classrooms were small enough that I felt like I got a great hands-on education. I knew the professors really well. 
 

鈥淎nother thing I learned is that as long as you're willing to put in the work鈥�..you are at a place that you're going to get out of it what you put in. I could engage in class, and my smaller class sizes made a big difference.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

That sense of working hard has stuck with Nikki throughout her career and life journeys.  

鈥淣ow that I'm at MIT鈥�. I鈥檓 here putting in [hard work] and I've never felt I was unprepared. If anything, I think 麻豆传媒 gave me a lot of confidence because I was able to talk in the classroom and engage with peers and my class sizes weren't huge.  

鈥淚鈥檝e been so lucky.  There was a lot of leadership development in my [academic] programs and in the leadership program that helped me understand my place in the world.鈥�  

Pushing Through to the Other Side  

Vianney Ocampo-Zapien  
Junior, double major in Early Childhood Education and Psychology  
Hometown: Fort Lupton, Colorado  

For Vianney, being a first-gen student means getting a college education her parents couldn鈥檛. The importance of education has been instilled in Vianney since she was seven-years old. She knew she was going to college, even though her parents were not able to pursue higher education.  

鈥淓ven though they didn鈥檛 have much of an education background, they believed that education is an essential tool in life,鈥� said Vianney.  

鈥淏eing a first-gen student, you may have obstacles in the way, but because of those trials and errors throughout your college career, it makes you more capable and responsible.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

She found her way to 麻豆传媒 at the recommendation of her teachers, a testament to the university鈥檚 powerful Bear alumni network.  

鈥淚 was interested in studying education and a lot of my teachers in Fort Lupton actually went to 麻豆传媒. My favorite teacher, Ms. Schroeter, told me 麻豆传媒 was an excellent school. And I took her suggestion.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Smaller is Better 

Vianney knew 麻豆传媒 was the right fit for her.  

鈥淚 enjoy smaller class ratios offered at 麻豆传媒. They offer a more personalized learning experience. In the Early Childhood [program], I often see familiar faces and enjoy my peers. I鈥檝e had some of the same professors, so I know their structure and their guidelines. I don鈥檛 panic because I already know the routine,鈥� said Vianney.  

For her, the adjustment to college involved learning to do higher level thinking, adapting to having too much freedom and understanding how to manage her time. 

鈥淚 guess just getting adjusted to higher-level of thinking to write papers. I wrote basic papers in high school, but it was not like using APA or MLA and having to cite [references] and research. 

鈥淚 had my own schedule for time management at a young age. My parents always pushed me to be independent, so that definitely helped me adjust to college. But there's always that freedom of pull鈥�.. 鈥業鈥檓 alone. I have all this time. Am I going to take advantage of it, or am I going to, you know, slack?鈥� 鈥� said Vianney. 

Untangling Financial Aid 

For many first-gen students, financial aid is complex and intimidating.  

鈥淭he tricky part [for me] was financial aid. I remember when I first entered, I saw that big number and I was freaking out. I remember thinking, 鈥極h, no! Is it gonna go away? How come my scholarships haven鈥檛 gone through?鈥�鈥�鈥� she wondered.  

鈥淏ut I made some calls and turns out it takes a while. I had to go out of my way, to do my research and to call people because no one had told me before.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Vianney is supported by the Stryker Scholarship and the Gayle K. Lord Scholarship.  

鈥淭he Stryker scholarship has been really nice. I've met a lot of strong people, people who think like me and have the same values,鈥� added Vianney. 

Pushing Through to the Other Side  

Reflecting on her proudest moments, Vianney gets quiet, mulling over her experiences.  

鈥淚 guess just making it this far. I鈥檓 three years in. I never thought I鈥檇 get this far. I remember when I was a senior in high school telling myself, 鈥業 don鈥檛 think I鈥檓 going to make it.鈥� 

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have high expectations for myself. I thought I would be struggling and even through all the ups and downs in the three years, I still managed to push through. I think for anyone, at any point in college, that is such a huge accomplishment,鈥� said Vianney.  

If she could share her insights with other first-gen students, this is what she鈥檇 say. 

鈥淚've realized that education is a privilege. It shouldn't be taken advantage of. I may observe others, and maybe everyone's situation is different, but sometimes people slack. I can't judge because everyone has their own experiences. But I tell myself this is a time to take from all your classes鈥�take that information and use it.鈥� 
 

Full Circle Support  

Brandon Lagunas, 鈥�17 
Criminal Justice 
Hometown: Greeley, Colorado 

Brandon Lagunas, 鈥�17, a Greeley local, graduated from 麻豆传媒 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Criminal Justice to become CHE鈥檚 assistant director. But college wasn鈥檛 ever on his radar growing up.

鈥淭hroughout middle school, I didn鈥檛 really have the resources, the mentors, nobody in my family went to college鈥�...鈥�and so [college] wasn鈥檛 really within my scope,鈥� said Brandon.  

Two programs illuminated a path to college for him鈥�鈥�鈥�GEAR UP and the Greeley Dream Team. The latter is a鈥痯re-collegiate program鈥痶hat serves over 700 low-income and first-generation students at four District 6 schools in Weld County. 

鈥淚 always thought that college wasn鈥檛 meant for me. I would never see representation of my community within college from TV or in movies. I was just expecting to go into the workforce as soon as I graduated, but what was interesting was my mom.  

 鈥淪he actually started at Aims Community College and then we entered 麻豆传媒 together in 2012,鈥� said Brandon.  

 鈥淎t the age of 48, she went back to school. She got her associate degree, and she really inspired me. I鈥檓 like, 鈥極K, my mom is really inspiring me to push forward. We could both get our degrees together.鈥�鈥�鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

 Brandon was introduced to his future job on orientation day.  

鈥淥n orientation day, I remember seeing a workshop for first-gen students. It was CHE. I just walked in because I saw the words 鈥榝irst-gen.鈥� I鈥檓 like, 鈥極h, I think I鈥檓 one of those,鈥�鈥�鈥�&苍产蝉辫; recalls Brandon.  

鈥淭he director at the time was Julie Trujillo. I met her and loved her instantly. She made me feel warm and welcomed right away. She interviewed me, and I was able to get into the program. And then I brought my mom in the program with me.  

 CHE not only provided him a much-needed place of belonging but also made campus smaller and easier to navigate. 

 鈥淸CHE] really fostered that welcoming opening environment and made me feel included instantly within the university. It made this big world I was going into a lot smaller and cozy.  

 鈥淚 really felt comfort as soon as I was talking to Julie and she really showed me that this is my community. This is where I belong鈥攊n this [place] full of other first-gen students that are gonna be dealing with the same issues as me.鈥� 

CHE proved essential to help Brandon navigate college.  

 鈥淲hen I say it takes a village that statement holds a lot of truth to me. I think about all the resources CHE has showed me during my undergrad and all the community members that they introduced me to that ended up leading me on the path to where I am now,鈥� said Brandon. 

鈥淕oing into my junior year, I wasn鈥檛 sure if I was even going to finish school or not. [CHE staff] reworked my degree, created a study guide for me to show different resources on how to be successful, got me a summer position with another TRiO program, Upward Bound, at CSU.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

Things have come full circle for Brandon. 鈥淢y director right now, Flora Powells, was actually my academic advisor for CHE. So, when I say it鈥檚 a full circle moment, it鈥檚 full circle!  

鈥淪he was really there for me, for it all. I remember sitting in her office for about an hour, tears about to fall from my face. I felt like my whole world was crashing with me, wanting to jump out. Me feeling like a failure for my family.  

鈥淭here is so much pressure when it comes to being a first-gen student. I just felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and Flora really help lift some of that weight for me.鈥�&苍产蝉辫; 

In his role as assistant director of CHE, Brandon can pay it forward.  

鈥淢y goal as a leader here is to ensure that all of my students receive personalized academic advising, financial aid literacy and access to resources that are going to help them transition successfully into college.  

He lays out plans for the students and their parents, so they know what they are getting. 

鈥淎s far as getting students to buy into our program and into 麻豆传媒, I ask the students to weigh all their options possible. I'm pretty honest with the students. I鈥檒l show them their degree plan, what it looks like within the four-year scope, and then show them all our free resources,鈥� said Brandon. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 really all about meeting the student where they鈥檙e at,鈥� he adds.

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First-gen by the Numbers 

Post pandemic, 麻豆传媒 has experienced fluctuations in the number of degree-seeking First-gen undergraduate students, which increasingly need strong financial and academic support to ensure their success. 

Student Type	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
First Year, First Time Degree-seeking	548	491	482	518	545
Total (all years) *	3,240	2,829	2,499	2,411	2,575

Caption:  2024 shows approximately a 7% increase in first-gen students year-over-year, but nearly a 21% decline since 2020. 
* Total of first-gen students by year includes new first time, transfer, continuing, high school concurrent enrollment and non-degree seeking students.  

 What Students Are Studying at 麻豆传媒 

Area of Study	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Education & Behavioral Sciences	741 (23%)	699 (25%)	627 (25%)	537 (23%)	493 (21%)
Humanities & Social Sciences	705 (22%)	584 (21%)	443 (18%)	428 (18%)	381 (16%)
Business	375 (12%)	363(13%)	354 (14%)	339 (18%)	381 (16%)
Natural and Health Sciences	1,098 (34%)	904 (32%)	826 (33%)	846 (36%)	856 (36%)
Performing & Visual Arts	242 (8%)	215 (8%)	191 (8%)	204 (9%)	221 (9%)
Other	51 (2%)	42 (2%)	31 (1%)	29 (1%)	29 (1%)

Caption: The largest percentage of degree-seeking, first-genundergraduate students are studying natural and health sciences.

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CHE students perform above other student populations at 麻豆传媒 in terms of academic achievement. The program鈥檚 2023-24 performance speaks for itself.   

• 87%鈥痮f students returned to 麻豆传媒 from fall 2023 semester to fall 2024 
• 91%鈥痺ere in good academic standing at the end of summer 2024 semester 
• 71%, 37 of 52,鈥痮f the鈥�2018鈥痗ohort graduated鈥痠n 6 years.  

 CHE students take courses specifically designed for them. 

• University 101, which teaches student show to navigate university life. Students who take this course have more academic success and higher grades than those who don't.
• English 122
• Library 123, a class that teaches students skills to conduct research for their papers and their majors.
• English 123 

The English courses ensure students develop writing skills to be successful in their courses. CHE also has our own personal librarian who is available and helps students at CHE workshops. In the financial literacy workshops, students learn about savings accounts, if they need to take out loans, what type of loans to take out and what they mean.  

CHE鈥檚 Post-graduation Planner Cynthia Mitchell hosts LinkedIn workshops to prepare students and ensure they have professional head shots. CHE seeks to ensure students are ready to hit the ground running after they when they leave the safety of CHE and 麻豆传媒 and enter the work world.