Many first-generation students experience anxiety and fear while attending college for the first time. Being the first in the family to set foot in a new environment can be nerve-wracking for most, especially when the first instance of the campus that they see comes from brochures or online tours. In honor of November being first-generation month, SSU screened a film, “First Generation”, presented by Sonoma State TRIO Pre-Collegiate Programs and Student Support Services.

With students often feeling isolated and lost, Sonoma State aimed to help all first-generation students feel included while they have to say goodbye to their families and take the next step in their lives. Moving away from home represents freedom and responsibility, and Sonoma State is working to aid students in not feeling so alone as they navigate their college journey.

“The whole process was mostly me and my advisor in high school. Mostly me though, I needed to do all the work on searching for financial aid and seeing where I qualify. Still, I don’t know how I did it”, said Larissa Hernandez, an SSU student. “No one in my family had ever come to college. They didn’t know what the requirements were, the application process, or how much it would cost to put me through school”. 

This event was geared towards prospective college students that have yet to graduate from high school, in an effort to provide an example of what the college application process looks like for interested students.

According to the 2019 California State University fact book, “Nearly one-third of CSU students are the first in their families to attend college and more than half of CSU graduates are the first in their families to earn a degree.”

The film was produced by Adam and Jaye Fenderson and also made possible by the Lumina Foundation for Education, which has a goal of increasing the percentage of high-quality degrees and credentials to 60% by the year 2025. 

The film stars Cecilia Lopez, Dontay Gray, Jessica Chevallier, and Kerosoma Leio, all of whom are first-generation students themselves. Lopez is an exemplary student and competitive cross-country runner, Gray is a dedicated athlete who was able to turn his life around after being incarcerated, Chevallier has a strong work ethic and is also a top performer at her school, and Leio is a kind-hearted son whose goal is to make his family proud.

All students featured in the film face their own adversities. They faced challenges in school and in their personal life, but the challenge they had in common was finance. All students didn’t have the money for college and were either heavily reliant on financial aid or needed to attend another school other than one of their dreams. 

Similarly, an SSU student who’d like to remain anonymous, expresses how paying for college has been challenging. “I’m undocumented and didn’t qualify for DACA. Finding work can sometimes be difficult because of my status. My parents also work in agriculture and don’t make much money. Often I have to work multiple jobs that are under the table but also don’t pay enough. It’s stressful because every semester means I am stressed out about the next one, whether or not I can afford it or if I should throw in the towel and quit.”

Overall, being a first-generation college student is a huge accomplishment, and should definitely be treated as such. Setting the example for a younger generation and demonstrating that it is possible to do so. Luckily, there are programs and resources for those who are first-generation college students. With programs such as FAFSA, Dream Act, TRIO, The Dream Center, and more available for students, first-generation college students have more access than ever to resources that will help them succeed.