All Stories

"My goal was to get into college, I hadn't thought much about what to do after I was accepted. With the encouragement of my family, classmates, professors, and colleagues, I have accomplished more than I thought was possible for myself." - Teyloure Ring, Alum

"My experiences as a first-generation college student shaped my values of learning, growth, and community, which led to the start of my career working at various nonprofits and pursuing a Masters degree in Nonprofit Leadership." - Kimmy Nguyen, Alum

"I approach every day that I access education and challenge systems of learning within the university setting as a radical form of change which applies to my attendance at UW." - Yasmine Gomez, Student 

"To current and future first-generation students, I would like to say this: Your unique experiences and perspectives are so valuable; they have the power to inspire. Remember, your story matters." - Bogdan Brunsh, Student

"I would encourage current and future first-gen students to not be afraid to ask questions and lean on people around you. There’s a lot that we don’t know about navigating academic spaces and so many of the mistakes I’ve made could have been avoided if I had the skills to communicate my needs." - Keila Taylor, Student

"Being a first-gen to me means having to navigate higher education largely on my own. I never take the chance to enter college and grad school for granted, and I'm really grateful for how far I've come." - Linhang Huang, Student

"From my extended experience as a first-gen student, the most important thing is to acknowledge what you do not know. Treat every moment of confusion as an opportunity to build your collection of knowledge and every new environment or experience as a pathway to learn more about yourself." - Adrian Guerrero, Student

"Being a first-generation student means breaking barriers and boundaries for myself and for others. I feel a deep responsibility to push myself to step outside of my comfort zone and enter uncharted territories to advocate for my community." - Kimberly Il, Student

The prescription to fix the Democratic Party after a historic loss in the presidential race, likely won’t be found in Washington State. Victor Menaldo, professor of political science at the UW, is quoted.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our students and alumni, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.