Yhanna Rosaro '24 | University of Portland

Yhanna Rosaro '24

yhanna-rosario.jpgMajor: Psychology

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

Though Im proud of being the first in my family to go to college, it was a bit nerve-racking as I had no idea what I was doing when applying for colleges, and what to do next once I got accepted. From the moment I started at UP till now, it always feels as if everyone in my family has had their eyes on me since I took the big step of moving from Hawaii to Oregon. This came with a lot of pressure and this need to exceed their expectations by letting them know that everything was going just fine when really it felt like things had been going downhill and leading nowhere. However, a part of me expected this ever since I told my family that I was going to this school, without a single doubt in my mind. And in the end, I'm proud of myself for taking the extra steps required to be successful as a first-generation student, even if it meant that I would have to work a bit harder for what I wanted.  

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

To be a part of the FGEN community, especially as an ambassador, means that I have the ability to encourage and allow incoming students to reach their full academic potential in college, while also keeping them connected with resources that will guide the rest of their careers. There are so many things that hold us back as FGEN students especially when it comes to resources and connections. However, since we likely do have to take extra steps to reach our goals, we think that we have to work harder than everyone else but this can inevitably cause us to burn out and make us lose sight of what we came to college to do. My goal as an FGEN ambassador is to prevent my students from ever feeling like that or to have a space where they can take a breath and relax to protect their peace as this is only just the start of their journey. 

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

For students who are facing challenges, I would recommend talking about it with someone they trust and remembering that your future self will thank you for getting through every obstacle that you come by. Being able to talk your problems through with someone can relieve you of stress and anxiety, especially if the person you are talking to can relate to you since we can feel alone when we face these challenges. If you dont have someone you feel comfortable talking about things with, I would recommend journal or doing something that keeps your mind off of things for a bit so that you can have time to yourself and gather your thoughts. Thinking ahead and picturing yourself in the future, doing what you love, or not stressing about your current situation is also a great way to push yourself through hardships as well. 

Did a mentor play a role in your experience?

As a student who spent the first year completely online, having a mentor from this community helped me tremendously in getting familiarized with the school. I felt pretty lost in my first year of college as I was in the process of deciding what I wanted to major in. My mentor continues to support me after my first year and so does the FGEN program as weve been through similar struggles and have found ways to support one another. Not only did the FGEN community encourage me to major in what interests me but so did my professors as they were very understanding of the situation that I was in.  

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

The help that I would get from the Career Education Center has a lot of significance during my UP experience. My time at the Career Center has always been positive and informative as everyone who Ive worked with was so welcoming and created a safe space for me to express my concerns. I learned something new every meeting and I will continue sending my students and using their resources during my time here at UP. Another resource that has really helped me during college was all the academic advisors Ive had. Despite having their hands full and a limited schedule, they still manage to find time to help students. They give out great advice when it comes to class scheduling and alternatives for classes.