When Maria “Lina” Guzman immigrated with her family to the United States in 2000 with the dream of college education for her children, she never thought she would be providing the academic inspiration. This summer Lina, a 39 year-old resident of Harvey, IL, finds herself planning a graduation party for herself and her daughter Nancy, a recent first-generation graduate of South…
First Generation, Lasting Impact
Like many students anxiously navigating the college enrollment process for the first time learning about financial aid, counseling, and simply finding her way around campus, Lorena Diaz, had the added pressure of being the first in her family to pursue her college degree. There she was, a first generation United States born student living in Harvey, Illinois, pursuing not just…