How Identity Has Influenced a Placer County District Representative's Career
As a first-generation college student, Frank initially didn't see college as a possibility, feeling pressure to immediately work; however, as career progressed, Frank realized a need to "force myself to learn how to grow out of it and learn how to excel past what was taught, past what [was] only thought was available", and the most insightful moment was the realization that change needed to happen to forge a desired path, honoring the past while creating the future.
First-Generation College Student, Overcoming Obstacles, Personal Growth, Career Navigation, Self-Reliance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Frank Udvarhely
District Representative
Placer County
Sacramento State University
Business Management & Admin, Finance
Coaching, Speaking & Writing, Government & Public Sector
Business Strategy
Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Overcoming a Lack of Early Guidance: As a first-generation college student, Frank didn't initially consider college a possibility due to financial constraints and a lack of information. He had to navigate the college experience and early career without the same level of support and knowledge that students from more privileged backgrounds might have.
2. Evolving Identity and Social Mobility: Frank describes a feeling of displacement as he progressed in his career and social standing. He uses the metaphor of outgrowing thrift store clothes to illustrate how his personal and professional growth led him to no longer fit into his original environment. This highlights the challenges and complexities of social mobility for first-generation individuals.
3. Self-Reliance and Seeking New Perspectives: A turning point for Frank was realizing the need to become more self-reliant and seek new perspectives. He recognized that relying too much on others had its limits and that he needed to actively learn and grow beyond the limitations of his upbringing. This involved seeking out new relationships and perspectives to expand his understanding of what was possible.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as a first-generation college student, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
It's interesting because I didn't think college was a possibility. When I turned 18, the comment was, "Do you want to go to work or do you want to go to college?" Either way, you're finding your own way and paying for yourself. I didn't know what I didn't know, and of course, you have to eat, survive, and do all those things. Life just happens.
In the world I lived in, things were normal. As a case in point, I put on this blazer today because it's one of the oldest and nicest ones I have. You carry an image or something about yourself. Over the years, when applying for jobs or trying to do better, you collect things.
I collected a lot of items from thrift stores. Eventually, you don't fit in there anymore. I walked into a thrift store wearing a suit and tie, ironically purchased at a thrift store, yet I didn't fit into that environment. It's a good metaphor for a belief. When you grow and mature externally or societally, does that change as well?
Even though I get along with some people from my old neighborhood, and we still speak a similar language, it's hard to go back. I don't forget where I came from, but I grew out of all the struggle, pain, and personal anguish I was going through. I forced myself to learn how to grow out of it and excel past what I was taught or what I thought was available.
When I started meeting people from other families, they'd ask, "Really? Why do you think that? Why do you do that? That's not a problem for us." Once you get out and have those conversations, you realize what you want to be and how you want to be it.
Fast forward to this time in my life. As an adult, I've had conversations with my parents about why they treated me a certain way or why they did or said certain things. It's because they didn't know any better; they were responding to abuse they had from their own parents. The environment my parents grew up in was worse than mine. Their only thought was to provide better for me than they had.
You did provide, and I don't want to say this negatively. But as a millennial, I don't know how to get things started. I just know that things happened, like food appearing or my allowance. Stuff appeared. When you're an adult, you wonder where to go to get it.
This was an issue I had even in college. The first time I went after high school, I didn't have a computer or laptop, nor access to things. I had to go to the library. I couldn't easily solve problems on my own and had to rely on others. Eventually, you can only rely so much on people before they stop letting you.
That was a real light bulb moment: how much longer do I want to do this? How much longer do I want to be this way? As I said, the irony is you eventually have to make changes. All of those changes, looking back, created you and shaped who you are. So now is the time to find what trajectory, what path you want to be on. Honor the past, enjoy the present, and create the future.
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