Where did you attend college?
Humboldt State University, San Diego State University, and University of Kentucky
What was your college experience like as a first-generation college student?
I was in such awe as an undergraduate to be in a place that was dedicated to learning as well as producing knowledge. It many ways it was exciting and the possibilities seemed endless. Yet, I also experienced instances of isolation, disorientation, and exclusion as a first generation college student.
What message do you have to share with current first-generation college students?
Take your time and get to know your professors. Be open to all possibilities because you never know where they can take you. When I first went to college I had no idea what anthropology was. One summer I decided to join an archaeological field school in the Yucatan Peninsula. That experience set me on the path to where I am now, a college professor in anthropology. Furthermore, the professor who lead that field school became my life long mentor who still writes letters of recommendation for me.