I worked really, really hard in high school to get to UVA,
but then I figured out, upon coming to UVA, that I have
to work a hundred times harder.
I was a first-generation, low-income student,
and so I really aimed for a top-tier university that
could give me a really great opportunity for a career path
to provide financial stability for my mom and my family.
I was involved in various organizations.
I was trying to keep up and maintain great grades.
I was working a part-time job on the weekends,
and it really bogged down on me.
Yeah, it was really difficult my first year.
It wasn't until I found the community
of first-generation and low-income students
that I really understood that I'm not alone.
I'm really happy that I found this community
because they made me realize that there's
a home for everyone here.
One day in my email I found something
about Hoos First Look.
Two of my good friends were starting a new fly-in program
for the university.
I thought, wow, like, this is a great program,
and I wish this was something that existed
when I was applying to UVA.
We fly in 20 first-generation, low-income prospective
high-school juniors.
We show them the different financial resources
and academic resources that are available to them,
and we partner with the Office of Admissions
to give them tailored one-on-one advice on how they can
be a more competitive applicant when applying
to UVA and other colleges.
Of course there's this really deep social experience
where they're able to meet other first-generation,
low-income students, network, and just build relationships.
I realized that there's such a need
for a community for the first-generation, low-income
identity.
It was so amazing to see how we touched these high schoolers'
lives.
I know that I can serve as a mentor for them
and help them find these resources.