Name:
Ramon Balderas
Position Title or Student Involvements:
Assistant Director for TRIO Student Support Services
What degrees have you obtained or are working on?
Higher Education M.Ed. Higher Education Ed.D.
What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student/graduate?
First-generation to me is about being a trailblazer for my future generations in their academic path. It was hard to navigate the college process but found a lot of good people that help guide me through it and motivated me. Today I do that with my TRIO students and continue push forward the new trailblazers.
Why is being a first-generation student/graduate important to you?
Being First-generation is important to me because I it makes me thankful that my family and friends are better off because I came to college because I chose to come to college. I am in a better position to help those around me and inspire change.
What piece of advice would you give to first-generation students?
You are not alone in your experiences and doubt is a constant part of being a first-generation student. It is not that you are not smart enough, academic enough, brave enough, etc… But rather that we are navigating a process that is foreign to us so we are simply underprepared. The best advice that I can give is to build a support group of peers, mentors, staff, and faculty that can guide you and motivate you through your process. Above all, never be afraid to ask questions and/or be afraid of asking for help. There are people like me that want nothing more than than to help and guide you, but we can not help if we you do not come to us for help or to ask questions. YOU GOT THIS!