Wilbert De Leon '20  B.A. Communication, B.A. Economics - Behavior and Strategy Emphasis

This stole is a symbol of my perseverance, grit, and determination to meet my goals — an artifact to display on my wall for years to look at and tell myself, "I did that." 

My first-gen story does not start with me. It starts with my parents.

Eric Thai '20 discovers his academic pathway and his family history converge in research. 

“What is a Ph.D.?” My immigrant father asked.

He was understandably concerned about my plans to spend another 4-5 years pursuing another degree.

“A Ph.D. is a degree that prepares me to ask questions and contribute knowledge to the world.”

The two hands represent my parents, and the rag being twisted holds everything that represents my parents such as their hardships, sacrifices, and dreams. By twisting the rag, both hands “shower” me with love, support and most important of all, an opportunity. At the bottom is a representation of me in my graduation gown holding my diploma while I receive my parents loving gifts which all contribute to my growth of who I am today.

Being a first-gen student comes with its challenges, but for Chelsea Blankenship, the journey had bittersweet movements, where she learned to find beauty in darkness. Through her poem, simple talk, Chelsea hopes to help other students understand that they are capable to overcome trauma and that they are beautiful being.

As the daughter of two immigrants, Roseanne Gorelik and her family was ecstatic for her to have the opportunity to attend UC Davis, and to now see her graduate, it is a dream come true for the family. Through her written poem: Us: In Poems, Roseanne describes her powerful relationship with her family and how her journey through college, was not just for her, but for her family as well.

From a hardworking agricultural family in the Central Valley, first-generation graduate Yilda arrived in Davis prepared to dedicate herself to her studies in order to succeed not just for herself, but her father as well.

Kathy Pham is a queer, first-generation college student who was raised by two Vietnamese refugees. Kathy was very involved in different organizations throughout her four years at UC Davis. Read her powerful poem from our First-Generation Grad Stole Contest.

Being a First-Gen student can mean many things. Struggle, accomplishment, and family are just some of the ways Carmen Torres Antonio described this identity and what being a first-generation graduate means to her.

Family can be an important part of a students journey through higher education, and for Sandra Vivian-Calderon, her family is the reason she sees graduating as a symbol of strength, and that her parents’ sacrifices, as well as her own, are worth it.