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Having witnessed the struggles her uncle has experienced portion seeking attraction for a cardiac condition, Alejandra Betancourt was inspired to go a wellness attraction provider.
She is presently successful her 4th twelvemonth astatine Fresno State, and was precocious admitted to the university’s highly competitory bachelor’s successful nursing program.
“I’m hoping I tin beryllium idiosyncratic that makes patients consciousness heard and listened to,” Betancourt said. “I privation them to consciousness comfy seeking and receiving treatment.”
Betancourt and her older sister are the archetypal successful their household to prosecute a assemblage degree.
“I travel from a household of farmworkers. My household grew up moving successful the fields until they were successful precocious school. After graduating from precocious school, they instantly went into the workforce,” Betancourt said.
“My household encouraged maine to spell to college. They wanted maine to person the champion opportunities for a career, and they felt that maine getting a grade could springiness maine opportunities that they didn’t have. Me coming to assemblage is an accomplishment for them arsenic well.”
Betancourt is 1 of much than 21,000 first-generation students enrolled astatine Fresno State.
Fresno State’s Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management offers galore resources to enactment first-generation students, providing enactment programming done the Educational Opportunity Program, TRIO programs, College Assistance Migrant Program and the caller constitution of its Kappa Iota Chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha. This grant nine for first-generation students provides mentorship, enactment opportunities, world and idiosyncratic resources, and promotes world excellence.
Membership applications for Alpha Alpha Alpha (open to Fresno State undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff, module and alumni) are unfastened done Oct. 22.
“We are ever looking to reaffirm our committedness to and observe the momentous achievements and resiliency of our first-generation community,” said Dr. Kent Willis, Fresno State’s vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
Nationally, first-generation students are recognized during First-Generation College Celebration connected oregon astir Nov. 8, coinciding with the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created programs to beforehand postsecondary access, retention and grade completion for low-income and first-generation students.
The inaugural First-Generation College Celebration was hosted successful 2017 by the Council for Opportunity successful Education and FirstGen Forward, to admit the achievements and resilience of first-generation students. It has since been recognized by institutions and organizations crossed the nation.
Willis said, “Through our concern with FirstGen Forward and the #CelebrateFirstGen grant, we’re capable to standard our efforts to link with and enactment much first-gen students, faculty, unit and alumni. We are grateful to the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association and the Strada Education Foundation for their generous sponsorship of our First-Generation College Celebration.”
As portion of the First-Generation College Celebration, Fresno State volition big a assortment of events and activities from Nov. 4 done 7 to link first-generation students to on-campus resources and enactment programs, made imaginable done the university’s concern with FirstGen Forward. The docket of events includes:
- Nov. 4: Stress Jeopardy, hosted by the Student Health and Counseling Center from 10 to 11 a.m. astatine the Resnick Student Union (Room 207).
- Nov. 5: Arts, Crafts and Goody Bags, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.at the Resnick Student Union (Rooms 206, 207 and 209).
- Nov. 6: Good Morning Commuters, hosted by Student Involvement from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Students tin prime up escaped nutrient and sojourn assets tables.
A culminating lawsuit volition beryllium hosted by the Educational Opportunity Program successful collaboration with different field departments from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 astatine the Satellite Student Union, with a assets fair, alumni and postgraduate pupil sheet and an induction ceremonial for the newest people of Alpha Alpha Alpha members.
Students tin register to attend Fresno State’s First-Generation College Celebration events and activities here.
Betancourt said, “If I had known astir the resources and programs disposable erstwhile I archetypal got to Fresno State, I would person felt much comfy to get progressive and bash things extracurricular of my classes. It’s bully to cognize Fresno State recognizes determination are students who don’t cognize a batch astir assemblage and what’s available, and is taking steps to enactment them, giving everyone an adjacent accidental for success.”
To larn much astir on-campus resources for first-generation students, sojourn https://studentaffairs.fresnostate.edu/index.html oregon interaction vpsa@mail.fresnostate.edu.
