The journeys of first-gen college students
They are the first in their families to earn college degrees. Meet eight first-generation students and recent graduates as they overcome obstacles while pursuing higher education and its benefits. This new docuseries helps celebrate the 40th anniversary of Colorado State University鈥檚 landmark 鈥� a program that delivers on the promise of land-grant education as it sets students on a path to a brighter tomorrow.
Meet the students
Rebekah Buena
CSU, Landscape Architecture
Robert Lamm
CSU, Environmental Engineering
Yasmine Hernandez
CSU Pueblo, Nursing
Jesse Vido
CSU Pueblo, Cybersecurity
Justina Slim
CSU, Animal Science
Jaseim Mitchell
CSU, Business Administration
Ashley Magee
CSU, Health and Exercise Science
Angelina Duran
CSU Global, Criminal Justice
鈥淔irst-generation students are the foundation of the Morrill Act of 1862 and what it means to be a land-grant university. With that act, it was our country鈥檚 conscious decision to open up college education to the children of the working classes. These students represent a vast reservoir of talent, and we provide the opportunity to unlock that potential. All of us benefit in the process. That鈥檚 the promise and the potential of a land-grant university.鈥�
鈥擳ony Frank, Chancellor, 麻豆社
Read Chancellor Frank’s column on first-generation students.
Learn their stories
Videos will be released October 2024 through Spring 2025.
She is a graduate of Bruce Randolph School in Denver who got hooked on higher education through nearby CSU Spur, became a horticulture research assistant there, and recently entered CSU as an Honors student in landscape architecture. Read .
He battled alcoholism that left him legally blind. Now, this student from Wheat Ridge is studying environmental engineering at CSU while serving as a Presidential Ambassador and conducting research in mosquito tracking to fight infectious disease. Read .
Yasmine Hernandez
From Johnstown, Colorado, she is a young alumna of CSU Pueblo who excelled as a nursing student and track-and-field athlete and now competes in national races while striving to become a hospital executive. Hernandez earned a B.S. and an M.S. with honors.
Jesse Vido
His family faced financial hardship in Pueblo, yet Vido made it to CSU Pueblo to study cybersecurity and compete on the nationally dominant CyberWolves team. He is active in student government, works on campus, and aims to be a role model for his five younger siblings.
Justina Slim
She is a cowgirl from the Navajo Nation who came to CSU to study animal science and methods to improve beef cattle production. Now, Slim has returned to Tribal land and works as a livestock Extension agent, hoping to improve the economy and food security for her Nation.
Jaseim Mitchell
He dreamed of playing college football, and it was Mitchell鈥檚 determination that got him there. The student from Colorado Springs was a walk-on to the CSU Rams football team and worked to prove himself until he earned a scholarship 鈥� while also succeeding in business administration.
Ashley Magee
A squadron leader for the Ram Battalion, this Army ROTC cadet from Manitou Springs decided as a teenager that she wanted to serve our country. She is studying health and exercise science at CSU with the goal of becoming a military physical therapist.
Angelina Duran
She is a recent grad of CSU Global with a degree in criminal justice. Motivated to become a criminal defense lawyer, Duran completed her degree while working full time as a paralegal in Denver 鈥� and juggling the demands of four children, one with special needs.
Support the scholarship
For first-generation students, getting to CSU is just the start. A gift to the First Generation Award Legacy Scholarship helps fulfill the Colorado State experience for these students and sets the stage for higher earnings, more job opportunities, and a landmark moment in their stories.