Counselor Edition: 5 First-Gen Portraits From My Podcast
High School & College Experiences
In 2022, 1 in 3 college students were First-Generation students.
First Generation students encounter, what Andrew Maguire calls, the “Hidden Curriculum” in his book Teaching Between the Lines.
For example, First-Gen students really struggle to take advantage of office hours. They view office hours as being remedial.
Take Jemina Bouma Perez. A First-Gen student at Rice University had that mental block about office hours, till one of her Professors invited her over to office hours to just talk to her.
That breakthrough led Jemina to land a community volunteer opportunity in Nicaragua during the summer after her Freshman year!
Now, let’s take a look at 5 First-Gen Alumni and Students, I had the pleasure of talking to on my podcast.
1.Jemina Bouma-Perez
Jemina Bouma-Perez is a graduate of Rice University with a Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science.
High School
Jemina was pretty involved with the high school newspaper. She did technical crew for theater. She volunteered regularly at a nursing home and in her local faith Community Church.
College at Rice
Jemina experienced a full College Life. She majored in a rich interdisciplinary area like Cognitive Science which brought together her wide array of interests.
She played flag football,
Engaged in community outreach,
Pursued education with Teach for America, Teach for China,
She even started learning Mandarin in her junior year.
Listen to the Podcast with Jemina Bouma-Perez.
2.Rifat Mursalin
Rifat Mursalin is a graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics & French.
High School
In High School, Rifat was in student government, involved in Social Science projects, math club and tutoring other kids.
He worked on programs for middle school kids from the inner city, to teach them about healthy relationships and domestic violence. These programs were through a local hospital, but funded by Emory University.
Emory, it seemed, was ever present around him.
College at Emory
Rifat was an immigrant, first-generation college student who moved about 30 mins from his High School to go to College.
Rifat’s college experience was fast paced, with lots of experimentation.
He fell in love with microeconomics.
He loved languages.
He spent a summer abroad in Paris, France.
He immersed himself in a number of activities outside the classroom - Tutoring, Model UN, and social entrepreneurship.
After college he went to Malaysia on a Fulbright grant as an English Teacher.
Listen to the Podcast with Rifat Mursalin.
3.Lucas White
Lucas White is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Studio Art at Radford University Honors College in Virginia. They expect to graduate in 2024.
High School
Luc went to a big high school in rural Virginia. With the guidance of engaged teachers, Luc developed a passion for science and art & photography. They also did some courses in the local community college.
As a class salutatorian, they chose to attend Radford University Honors College as a First Gen student.
College at Radford Honors College
In college, Luc has explored the academic dimensions outside of the classroom through undergraduate research
Combining science with the arts, to visualize in one case the proteins
A summer study abroad to immerse in the French language and culture
President of the Honors Students’ Council.
Listen to Hi5s. Podcast Highlights with Lucas White. (3-Minute Listen).
4.Andy C Ng
Andy Ng is a graduate of New York University with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, Urban Education and Social Entrepreneurship. Andy later earned a Master of Education degree from Harvard University.
High School
In high school, Andy was a driven and busy high schooler. He was in student government. He was the President of the Honor Society. He was a student athlete and played Varsity Tennis. By his own account, Andy was in every conceivable club in High School.
College at NYU
Andy started his NYU experience with the Freshman year in London.
Back in New York he nurtured his love for English and developed additional passions in the form of Education and Social Entrepreneurship.
He was involved in
Helping high school students with college applications,
Raising money for causes with his fraternity, in addition to being NYU’s admission ambassador.
Along with a couple of upperclassmen, he created a summer program for middle school students in low income neighborhoods in NYC.
This program won a pitching competition and received funding to run during a couple of summers.
Listen to the Podcast with Andy C Ng.
5.Herb Childress
Dr. Herb Childress is a Writer, Social Researcher and Academic. Dr. Childress received the Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from the University of California Berkeley. He then earned his PhD in Architecture (Environment- Behavior Studies) from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Dr. Childress has a number of fiction and nonfiction books to his credit.
High School
When Herb was in High School, he wanted to be an architect. But no one around him - his family or neighborhood knew any architects. So when it came time to think about college, no one in his family had had any experience with that at all.
So he applied to in-state colleges the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Michigan Technological University. And I was accepted to all three, and he had no way of knowing anything about why they were different.
He chose Michigan Technological University.
College
After High School he went to college, but dropped out after 2 years.
“I didn't know why I was there. Sure, I did. It didn't add up to anything, there was no sort of plan that I had in mind, to make all of this work worthwhile. I just did what I was told to do. And where people pointed me and did fine, and it didn't matter. So I dropped out after a couple of years.”
Herb then worked in Retail for a number of years, then went back to college to pursue Architecture.
“Well, I had been working in retail for a few years and you know, my wife and I were doing fine. We were getting along economically.
But I was bored.
And I was still I'm really interested in architecture, which had been my original thought that I was going to major in architecture, I was still really interested in buildings and how people use buildings and what they wanted. And so it was an opportunity for me to go back and try to exercise that curiosity.”
The second time around Architectural History gave him purpose, and his interest in human environments led to a PhD. He attended University of California Berkeley.
Writing is a talent & skill that has stayed with him throughout, eventually leading to his writing fiction novels.
Listen to the Podcast with Dr. Herb Childress.
Your Feedback
Hope you find these First-Get portraits inspiring, and light your way forward.
Let me know what you think of these First-Gen stories.
February 2023 Podcasts Curated For You
1.Heather Hamade: Oakland University Honors College
Heather Hamade recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Oakland University Honors College in Michigan.
Heather was very focused on academics in High School. She took a lot of advanced courses. Lots of English classes because she initially thought she wanted to be a writer.
But Art was where her passion lay, something she had been engaged in, since she was 11.
Heather joins our podcast to share her undergraduate honors college journey at Oakland University, about being an artist, her UG Thesis experiences, and Advice for high school students.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
Overall OU Honors College Experience
Why OU Honors College?
Honors Classes
Thesis Project
Advice for High Schoolers
Listen to Hi5s. Podcast Highlights with Heather Hamade. (3-Minute Listen).
2.Dr. Anil Menon of U of Cincinnati: What is the UG Medical Sciences Program?
Dr. Anil Menon is the Associate Dean of the UG Program in Medical Sciences at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Dr. Menon and his colleagues came up with an undergraduate program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine for undergrads to go through a mini-medical program, and decide if medicine is for them.
In this Podcast, Dr. Menon shares what the medical sciences undergraduate program is, Program Highlights, How to Apply, Scholarships, Career Options and Advice for High Schoolers.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
What is the UG Program in Medical Sciences?
Program Takeaways
Cost & Scholarships
Better Med School Odds
Advice for High Schoolers
Listen to Hi5s. Podcast Highlights with Dr. Anil Menon on UG Program in Medical Sciences. (3-Minute Listen)
3.Shanita Nichols on Bottom Line: College Access, College Success, and Educational Equity.
Shanita Nichols is the Managing Director of Development at Bottom Line.
When Shanita Nichols was a senior in High School, Bottom Line guided her to an affordable college for her undergraduate study.
Founded in 1997, Bottom Line addressed the low college graduation rates of first generation students.
What started supporting 25 students back then, Bottom Line today, has robust programs for College Access and Success that supports over 7000 students.
Shanita joins us on our podcast to tell us What Bottom Line is, Its origins, Programs it offers, College Advisors, Partners, Success Stories and What’s Next.
Hi-Fives from the Podcast are:
Origins of Bottom Line
Ecosystems and Partners
College Advisors
Process Challenges
Shanita’s Bottom Line Story
Listen to Hi5s. Podcast Highlights with Shanita Nichols of Bottom Line. (3-Minute Listen).
Finally, A Big Thank You to All for reading this Newsletter, and to all My Guests who have been generous with their time and counsel on my podcasts.
Have a Wonderful March!
Venkat