Everything First Gen
By: Allison Heard Staff Writer
At USF, we use the term to capture our excitement about First-Generation college students. Honestly, when I went to college, I do not remember the term ever being used. I did not realize, until well into my adult years, that I was a firstgeneration college student. There are two federal definitions frequently used. The University of St. Francis uses the definition to reference those college students who do not have a parent or legacy before them that has ever graduated with a four-year college or university degree. Indeed, neither of my parents had ever attended any college or university. Now, here we are today at USF. I want you to meet Elvia Cardenas. She is bright, unassuming, shy and quiet. A little-known secret about her is that she has one of the BEST laughs. If she really gets into what you are saying, she will unintentionally snort at the end of that laugh. Everything about her SCREAMS first-generation and everything about her is beautiful. However, that is the interesting thing— she does not scream at all. She is polite and kind. She is a microcosm of all that is wonderful at USF. Everything that our world should be screaming about, but we are not. We are so busy and so enveloped in our daily routines that we often do not understand where these gems exist on our campus. I am inclined to say that we are all gems, in our own special way. Indulge me a bit.
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September 27, 2021
Elvia is from Joliet, Illinois. Her parents are immigrants from Guerrero, Mexico where they met shortly after her mom’s quinceanera. This celebration has cultural roots in Mexico and is widely celebrated by girls throughout Latin America as a special way that girls celebrate their fifteen birthdays. Elvia’s parents worked both inside and outside the household to make ends meet for their family. Like my parents, they did not forego college because they wanted to. Instead, they did not have the access and opportunity to do so. This is the story of many of our Joliet and USF families. Elvia graduated in May 2020 from Joliet West High School. Everything about her last semester of high school could be firstgen and unprecedented in itself. She did not have the senior prom that she always dreamed about, nor did she have a formal high school graduation ceremony. She could not finish learning how to drive a car so that she could get her license. Elvia was the first child in her traditional Mexican family to graduate from high school in a COVID pandemic and she was the first to attend college in this unprecedented reality. Forget learning the first-gen language like how can I add a class or what does it mean to withdraw from a class. She had to learn how to Zoom in a college environment when she did not fully understand what college was about anyway. Elvia was also the first in her family to be supported by organizations like the Giving Back Foundation. She was invited to apply for a scholarship. It was a long and competitive process but she made it through. Elvia saw college as an opportunity for freedom. She saw a horizon, untouched land, exploration and adventure. When I asked her about her major, she said she started as Undecided. She did not know exactly what she wanted to do. Her shoulders seemed to slouch
Photo courtesy of Allison Heard & istockphoto
Sometimes we bounce the word first-generation around as if it is a ball to be thrown and whisked about in the air. It often rolls off our tongues like night and day. However, there is something powerful and magical about the reference. If you do not believe me, just ask any person who has ever described anything about their existence in this way.
