Congratulations Class of 2021!! You did it!

 

Congratulations to all our First-Generation College Student Graduates!

In honor of May graduation, we'd like to introduce a few of our first-gen grads, in their own words:

 

When comparing my experience as a first-gen student at UMBC with my experience at a different institution, there is no comparison. At UMBC I not only felt like I was surrounded by resources and support, but also like I knew how to access those things. A school could be the biggest, brightest, most well-reputed star in the sky, and that's meaningless if students can't navigate their way to success there.

Dr. Amy Froide has been an incredible source of support over the last few years, even as I careened wildly into her office as a transfer student with no real sense of where to go or what to do except for starry eyes and big dreams. The other History faculty have also been wonderful, and my colleagues in the Residential Life office have also been fantastic cheerleaders.

Post-Grad Plans: I'll be continuing at UMBC in the Historical Studies MA program.

I am very excited to be a First Gen graduate! During my time here I have been able to make and maintain strong connections with faculty and students that has allowed me to achieve all that I have accomplished. I have learned so much about career and post graduate opportunities that would have been difficult to navigate on my own. I also want to thank my family for always supporting me throughout my undergraduate journey.

Dr. Jacqueline King as well as the faculty from the Meyerhoff and MARC/URISE Scholars programs have been a great mentor to me! My journey as an undergrad preparing for graduate school has been very fruitful and enjoyable. Dr. King has great advice and is awesome to talk to to navigate tough decisions. I also want to thank Dr. Peter DeCrescenzo as well as the faculty members from the LSAMP program for helping me with applying for summer research experiences and getting involved with graduate school developmental experiences. Dr. DeCrescenzo had great advice for how I could develop my a personal statement and make myself stand out as an applicant.

Post-Grad Plans: I plan to pursue my PhD in at MIT in the Computational and Systems Biology program!

For me, being a first generation student means hope and success for my family. My mother and father have supported me in completing my degree.

Post-Grad Plans: A career within the IT field.

This is very big for my family, college was something that was not important to my grandparents so they never pushed my parents into going. I am so grateful to have parents that supported and pushed me through all my college years. Being a First Gen College Student is a great honor but I couldn't have done it without my parents!

My mom has been with me for every big milestone in my life, I couldn't have asked for a better support team than her. My dad has always had my back, I couldn't have asked for a better fan than him. My brother has always been there to help me get back up, I couldn't have asked for a better friend than him. Kyle has been my partner in crime this past year, he has helped me get through online classes and covid. These are the people that have supported me and I am truly grateful!

Post-Grad Plans: Iwill be going back to work full-time, I will be applying to a new position at work, and I will be starting grad school at UMGC.

Graduating from UMBC as a First-Gen College Student means that I have persevered through the challenges that include but not limited to, not knowing what steps to follow, what I may need to succeed, or the guidance when making life-changing choices. I think it's inspiring for me that I have made it this far and strive to always succeed in the future. It really shows that with dedication and hard work, you can succeed. In terms of family, I am able to show them my accomplishments, which my parents have worked hard to allow me to achieve. With being a First Gen, I am able to live the experiences firsthand of being a college student and make connections with students with similar interests. College really shows you how to appreciate the developments in engineering and how far the world is, and what is still required. Therefore being a first-gen student I am able to share that knowledge and experience with my parents.

In terms of UMBC, I think my entire CBEE undergraduate department has helped me to complete my degree, have supported me, and convey the work associated to get to where I dream. The faculty has allowed me to grow as a student/individual, and break away from my shell. I think a specific shoutout would go to Dr. Castellanos and Dr. Raikar for not only being available 24/7 but also supporting our student org and all the work they do to help us achieve our dreams. My brother has also always supported me and believed in me.