UHCL’s First-Gen undergrad creates a new legacy

HOUSTON – As a first-generation college student, Priscilla Perez created a legacy to revolutionize her life and the lives of her loved ones; her struggles became her strengths, which led her to achieve her Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

“No one ever tells you how to be a college student,” said Perez, 20. One of the troubles she had was not knowing the college application process after graduating from high school; the lack of guidance and information led her to her research journey.

“If no one in your family has been to college, it is really hard to know what to do or who to talk to for certain things,” said Perez. It was difficult for her to find advice or direction within her family, who could not relate to her college procedure Perez said.

As the oldest in her family, she played the role of caretaker since the age of 10 for her younger brother and sister and was vital to her low-income family household. At a young age, she learned how to become an independent and driven individual; the thought of going to college was not an unimaginable goal for her.

“School is very expensive, which was another hurdle, trying to navigate how to pay for college, especially because of the area I grew up in,” Perez said.  “It was not the wealthiest and I knew I wouldn’t have the financial support to go to college.” It is common for first-generation college students to come from a background with limited support, limited to low income, and limited resources. This was not an excuse Perez was willing to take.

In her first step toward getting ahead of her obstacles, Perez took advantage of an early college program at Sam Rayburn High School. As one of the first cohorts to participate in this program, Perez said, “I knew I wanted to go to college, but I also knew it was going to be expensive. I knew going into this program would shave off a few years of school.”

While in high school she began strategizing her opportunities toward higher education. Her next step to success was researching scholarships and grants that would get her through college. “I knew I had to apply to as many scholarships and grants as I could,” said Perez.

She invested her time applying to 15 scholarships and was able to receive four scholarships and multiple grants for low-income households. The next thing to check off her list was acquiring a job on campus, which she was able to obtain through the Writing Center at UHCL.

Fresh out of high school, Perez had no means of transportation as she was saving up for a vehicle and needed to gain a driver’s license. It was hard enough for her family to accommodate with only one vehicle at the time. This was another challenge Perez needed to overcome.

After crunching numbers, Perez took into account all the expenses and scholarships/grants she earned and made a calculated decision to live on campus for her first year at UHCL. “Moving out was one of the hardest things I had to do,” said Perez, this meant leaving behind her siblings she helped raise and setting boundaries with her family.

“It makes it really hard when you have to make those sacrifices,” Perez said. “Nobody talks about those sacrifices you have to make.” As the main caregiver for her siblings, Perez said she knew this was going to be grueling but a temporary sacrifice that would change the legacy of her life and help her family for the future.

Defeating the odds stacked against her throughout her journey, Perez said her motivation was demonstrating to her brother and sister that it is possible to earn a degree no matter the circumstances. “I have to set an example for my siblings because I want them to go to college and do things. I didn’t want them to have as many challenges as I did; I wanted to show them if I can do it, you can do it too,” said Perez.

She overcame her challenges through her process: she learned to manage money, get involved on campus, ask questions and learn from her mistakes. Perez is living proof that anyone can conquer their struggles, as long as they decide to not let disadvantages get in their way. She took the limited resources she was given and turned them into a four-year university degree. Perez’s journey continues, after graduating this December, as she pursues a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Contribution by Cindy Gutierrez