First Generation

“You can do it. Even if it feels like no one supports your, the college itself will support you.”

“One of my main goals ever since I was little is going to a four-year school. When I graduate from YVC and transfer to a university I’ll be the first person in my family to go and that’s something that I’ve been holding on for since I was little. I remember when I was little thinking, “I’m going to college.” That was my dream and being here at YVC I am in college and I’m really proud of myself. I really want to make my family proud, but also for myself I really want to be a lawyer and come back to the Yakima Valley and help this community.”  

“At 15 I was in a car accident. I suffered PTSD and didn’t realize how much it was affecting me until after I graduated. As a first-generation student who didn’t drive I didn’t have a way to get to campus. After a friend from church helped me learn to drive and I overcame my PTSD I’m really grateful to be here.”

“As a high school student, I participated in a program called the College Success Foundation (CSF). At the time, the process of becoming a college student and paying for college seemed all so daunting. This made it difficult for me to develop a sense of urgency surrounding my post-secondary education plans. My CSF advisor recognized I was in jeopardy of succumbing to the summer melt, a consistent trend of students that despite being admitted to a college or university, do not go on to enroll in the fall. My advisor was persistent and compassionate in working with me to ensure that I took all the steps necessary to matriculate. As a first-generation student, having this initial support to even get to college was the most impactful.”

[STEM Director] Cristy Rasmussen, and [STEM Navigator] Vanessa Tucker are two people that have served as my mentors throughout my journey at YVC. Their unconditional support, and access to a plethora of resources, have facilitated the transition from high school to college. They definitely made my time at YVC more enjoyable and opened doors for me that I  wouldn’t have otherwise.”

“As a first-generation student/graduate, the thing I am most proud of is knowing my children and younger siblings will not have to have the same experience I did. I will be here to guide them through the paperwork and terminology, so they can focus on becoming as successful as they can be.”

“My advisor was the most helpful. Being a first generation student I didn’t have the help from my parents to know what to do exactly starting out in my college journey or the knowledge of if I was taking the correct classes. After meeting with my advisor, he was extremely helpful with going over what classes I should be taking that would count towards my degree and he helped me draw up a plan of what classes to take each quarter until I graduated.”