The Routh First Generation Center

Transcript

Texas A&M tries to ease the transition to college for every student by offering many different support systems. Lindsay, a junior studying biomedical sciences and Spanish is taking advantage a few of these resources during her time in Aggieland. Lindsay, talk to us about how you felt supported here.

Thanks, Alex. Hey, everyone. The thought of attending Texas A&M University as a first-generation college student was a dream come true as it represented so much hard work from both myself and my family. However, it came with a lot of pressure of trying to ensure I was doing everything correctly, as well as understanding the unwritten rules of college. Thanks to the academic support provided during my freshman year to help navigate college, I can now give back to the amazing faculty that allowed me to embrace with being first gen is. I now help mentor for the Ruth First Generation Center where I cofacilitate a class of first generation students and I’ll provide them with all the resources on campus. We build a sense of belonging to ensure their success, not only through their first year, but throughout their entire academic journey at A&M. This is all possible thanks to the Office for Students Success created in 2019 to help retain more students and increase graduation rates. Some of their programs include academic advising, the Ruth First Gen Center, and the Transfer Student Program. I’m actually studying biomedical sciences because their academic staff was so welcoming and so knowledgeable about the program. I want to go into healthcare because I have such a passion for helping others and I feel like the same spirit is reflected in so many others at Texas A&M. No matter what you end up doing, know that there will always be someone on campus to help you. If it weren’t for their special programming, I would’ve never achieved the dream of receiving my Aggie ring, as well as receiving a competitive advantage for my career. That’s all for me, now back to you, Alex.

Thank you, Lindsay. Resources like the Ruth First Gen Center, the Veteran Resource and Support Center, and the Department of Multicultural Services are here to help Aggies get from their first day to their Aggie ring day, to graduation and beyond.