The First-Generation evening was wonderful. What stood out during this event was the community because it takes a community and the support of others to pursue our dreams. This event was meaningful because it let people know they are not alone and will have people to support them. So, remember, everyone, we are never truly alone; we all have each other to help us during this time.
When I first walked into the event, I was handed a free t-shirt, and then I was seated at a table with some icebreaker questions to keep conversations going. The Director of Student Life and Engagement, Ramona East, opened the event with some words of encouragement and sent us off to grab dinner. While we were eating dinner, table hosts came to help get conversations going for the shy people. I appreciated this as I am shy and always need someone to start a conversation for me.
The next speaker was Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Natalia Blank. She gave words of inspiration to celebrate students for their courage as they continue to go strong even when things are getting tough. She let students know that they are supported by people at Bay Path who are also invested in their success - and that Bay Path celebrates not only their accomplishments but also their future potential. The next speaker was Pamela Irizarry Mendez, a first-generation college student. She gave words of wisdom and spoke about how the people at Bay Path played a vital role in her success and felt a sense of belonging here at this school.
There was a keynote panel with panelists Sydney Daddario '19, Bethany Backer '22 G'24, Lily Galarneau '13 '14 G'16, Joanne Pierre-Louis Ph.D, and Delmarina Lopez '17 J.D. These panelists were all first-generation college students and are all living proof of what one can achieve through determination and connection to community. The panel was the perfect opportunity for students to get inside information on what it's like and have people they can relate to so they don't have to share the burden of struggling alone. All of these panelists have different experiences, but they all tied together in the way that they all initially felt alone in their struggles. Reaching out to resources helped them put themselves out there. These women took the time to ensure our questions were heard and understood. This event was perfect for first-generation students who had no idea what direction they were heading.
Note:
Dr. Jennifer Wade, Executive Director and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, shared that as a result of the First Gen event, a First Gen discussion group for students is forming. If you are a student interested in joining this group, please contact jwade@baypath.edu.
