How Identity Influenced a Client Services Director at MarketSharePR's Career

Being a first-generation college student has truly become the foundation of how I navigated my career. Initially, growing up in poverty, jumping onto a career path was mostly out of survival. I knew I had a big road and challenge ahead of me to be the first in my family to jump social classes.

I knew I wanted and needed to do that because I wanted better for my children when I had them. I saw what my family had experienced in poverty. My extended family and I are the first in my entire family not only to graduate high school without being a teen mother but the first to even attend a university.

That was a big deal in my family. Because of that, I think I was able to show a lot of family members that they don't have to give up on themselves because of their current circumstances. I wanted to show people that no matter what circumstances you're born into, you can decide the direction that your life and your career goes. You don't have to be a victim to your circumstances.

So, definitely just out of survival and fear, I went to college and was going to get a job. Along the years, I just kind of felt unhappy because I really needed my intrinsic motivation not to be fear and survival, but excitement, passion, and making a difference. All of those things drive me forward in a way that makes me feel happy.

Whereas I was originally being driven forward by financial goals and trying to get my family up off the ground. I feel very lucky that because I was able to get my education and get myself out of a social class that was structured to keep me in that class, I've really been able to develop a sense that anything can happen. My life was not like that when I was growing up.

I hope that other people who are first-generation college students know that not only can they make it and get that piece of paper, but they can turn that into an entire life and family legacy for all of their children and grandchildren if they're able to break those generational cycles. I believe that education is the door to the American dream.

I know the American dream looks different today than it ever did. I think that should hopefully light a fire under more people to say, "This ain't going to be me. I'm doing something different." No matter how hard it is, it took me 11 years to graduate college because I paid for it myself. Nobody was supporting me; it was really difficult. But I never gave up because I knew if I could complete this, I could do anything.

I hope more first-generation college students realize that even just the fact that you got accepted is a game-changer for your entire family.