At White House Summit, Advice For 1st-Gen Latino College Students
*A wonderful story with a telling statistic: “approximately half of all Latino college students had parents whose highest level of education was a high school diploma or less.” You know how I look for stories that tell of how Latinos are transforming and being transformed in the U.S. This one goes straight to the matter. A first generation Latino, first in the family college student develops a nation-wide student networking organization for college kids like him. VL
By Jessica Montoya Coggins, NBC News
WASHINGTON, DC — It was a memorable day for students as they entered the storied doors of the nation’s most famous residence on Thursday, June 23rd. First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed this group of over 130 college-bound students to the White House for the Beating the Odds Summit.
[pullquote]In the future he hopes that institutions like the Ivy League start looking at structural changes to assist first-generation students.[/pullquote]This group of rising freshmen all came from under-represented backgrounds. As part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, the summit focused on strategies that the students could use as they transition towards their post high school education. Michelle Obama started the Reach Higher initiative in the hopes that it would encourage every student in the United States to earn a post-secondary degree. The day was filled with practical advice and suggestions, but a major surprise came later in the afternoon when President Barack Obama burst into the East Room to greet the students.
Though seeing the President was a thrilling a moment for the students in attendance, the day was really meant to encourage and inspire them as they make their way through higher education. One person who was a part of the agenda was perhaps the most relatable for the incoming freshmen: Brown University senior Manuel Contreras.
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[Photo by HACUNews/Flickr]
