Andrea Angeles '22

Major: Undeclared

What was it like being among the first in your family to go to college?

Being the first in my family to attend college was an amazing accomplishment but so nerve-wrecking at the same time. Being an FGEN student, you try the best to prepare yourself, but you really can't. But with the help of my family and close friends I have been able to adjust to the college transition. Both my parents have always expressed the importance of having a higher education to have better lives as I was growing up. Neither of them graduated from high school so I kept that in mind and that is why I have always had so much motivation to do good in school. I want to be a good role model for my three younger sisters as well as to make my family proud.

What does it mean for your personally to be a part of the FGEN community and, specifically, to be a FGEN student ambassador?

The FGEN program is the reason my transition went as well as it did. Knowing that there is a group of people who come with the same background and having that tight community where we all want to help each other is amazing. It was through this program that I realized that I wasn't alone and I want to be apart of that experience for new and incoming FGEN first-year students. It is unexplainable to know that I will be apart of that positive impact at UP.

What is your advice to FGEN students at UP who are facing challenges?

Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. College is a completely new experience from high school, you will need to reach out to professors, mentors, staff, friends, etc for help and that will feel uncomfortable sometimes. Just remember that you are not alone! The FGEN community will always be a group of people that you can count on and share similar experiences with you. Don't be afraid to join clubs or attend events that interest you because those are the places that you will find more people just like you.

Did a mentor play a role in your experience?

I would say that my mentor definitely helped me because he would bring up topics that I was supposed to be aware of with the transition, not just academically but with myself and family. My mentor made me understand my struggles as normal stages that I was suppose to go through and that was really comforting for me. It was always a constant reminder that I was not alone.

What resources have been significant, meaningful or helpful for you so far during your UP experience?

I have become really close to a few of the FGEN community members and staff that have made my UP experience at UP so positive. It's quite amazing to have a close connection to UP professors because we are all FGEN students, it creates a connection and it makes it meaningful for me.