first generation college student
meet the facilitator:
Oanh Nguyen
As a Vietnamese refugee and also a first-generation college student, my educational journey has been supported by others who have cleared the path for me and walked alongside me with their hopeful encouragement and mentorship. I came to Minnesota with my parents and two younger sisters in 1980 after spending a year in an Indonesian refugee camp once a sponsor was secured through Lutheran Social Services for my family. Our early years in the United States included challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, and the struggle to rebuild our lives from scratch. My parents - without fully understanding the American education system or the process of applying to college - encouraged my sisters and me to study hard to possess the necessary credentials to be able to go on to college knowing that further education was necessary for a life with less struggle than the one they experienced. The pursuit of knowledge was a cherished dream and a beacon of hope for my immigrant parents.
With the help of my high school counselor, I was able to apply to the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate as well as search for other educational opportunities. One of those opportunities was a summer research apprentice program (RAP) specifically for underrepresented high school students in life sciences. One of my earliest mentors at the University was the late Dr. Chistopher N. Honda, who was the director of RAP and placed me in the lab of Dr. George Wilcox. I had the opportunity to stay on as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Wilcox's lab throughout my time as a student in the College of Biological Sciences and worked alongside his graduate students at the time, Dr. Laura Stone and Dr. Carolyn Fairbanks, for whom I have known and worked together with for thirty years now. I am forever thankful for their resolute support of me.
In conversations with other First Generation College Students, I find that we have shared experiences of navigating an unknown place where we are the first in our families to explore. I am grateful that there is a term "First Gen" and that there is recognition that these students might need additional support because they are the first in their families to go to college, navigating the complexities of an educational system without the benefit of parents who can provide guidance based on their own experiences. And now having been on this journey as a First Gen student myself, I want to open doors and support other First Gen students who are walking a similar path.
Ms. Oanh Nguyen is currently a special assistant, research project specialist, and lab manager to the Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Carolyn Fairbanks, in the College of Pharmacy.
Group accomplishments:
The First Generation College Student Affinity Group is made up of students, pharmacists, UM COP faculty and staff who meet to discuss our common and varied experiences as first generation students. Approximately 25% of incoming UM PharmD students identify as first generation college students and are academically prepared for the rigors of a professional program but may not have family or community networks needed for ongoing social support.
Our group is committed to mentoring through both formal programs and informal experiences, as we recognize that our mentors have made a difference in our professional and personal lives. We have advocated for a basic needs assessment for all incoming PharmD students and specialized services including comprehensive financial counseling and expanded tutoring availability.