Undergraduate Student Spotlight

Mentoring: Launching first-generation success

Mimi and David’s mentoring relationship started in early 2023, and one year later, their relationship is stronger than ever! Through the College of Engineering alumni and student mentorship program, these two Terriers found within each other the people they didn’t know were missing in their lives. Mimi found a professional and established engineer to look up to, and David found a young and ambitious student to help and guide.

Miriam “Mimi” Bounar (ENG’24), a first-generation student and first-generation immigrant who studies Biomedical Engineering, joined the ENG Mentors program on BU Connects on a whim, looking for an opportunity to forge a real and significant relationship with an engineer. As the first in her family to go to college as well as the first to pursue engineering, Mimi often felt she lacked a figure to look up to and go to for guidance when it came to her professional aspirations. Mimi was hoping to find “someone who knows how to respond, how to act, what type of opportunities to look for, and then go on from there.” Read more here.

 

Newbury Center Welcome and Orientation – Spring 2024

What is a first-generation undergrad student? 

A student in the first generation of their family to go to college (i.e., a student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn bachelor’s degrees, although elder siblings and cousins may be attending college already or have earned four-year degrees).

What is a first-generation graduate/professional student? 

A student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn a master's, doctorate, or a professional degree such as a JD or MD.

Here at the Newbury Center, we provide welcome and orientations for new first-gen students to give them a warm welcome to BU. Don't miss an opportunity to meet and find your first-gen community here at BU!

Held at the beginning of this spring semester, these events introduce students to the resources of the Newbury Center, teach them some ins and outs of being a first-gen student at BU, and help them begin building community. We'll be hosting an orientation for undergraduate, graduate and professional students on the Charles River Campus. We also will be hosting a Zoom session for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who want to attend virtually. Come and join our Terrier F1RSTS community!

Registration details below!


UNDERGRADUATE. GRADUATE, AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

  • In Person Orientation - Charles River Campus
    • Monday, January 22, 5:30 PM - 7:00PM - STH B24 ("Community Room") 745 Commonwealth Ave
      Dinner will be provided, receive a free Terrier F1RSTS t-shirt, and win some Newbury Center swag!
    • REGISTER HERE 
  • Virtual Orientation - on Zoom 

    Celebrate the Success of First-gen Students on Veterans Day

    It's BU's First-gen College Celebration Week and Veterans Day--here we celebrate two of our Terrier F1RSTS who are also veterans.  We thank ALL of our military-affiliated students, whether they are veterans, active duty, ROTC, or in the Reserves!

    Name: Valery Franco

    Hometown: Springfield, MA

    Undergrad Institution: Boston University

    Current Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in International Relations

    Branch and a Brief Overview of your Military Career so far: Massachusetts Air National Guard (Air Force Component)

    I first joined the Air Force Reserves in 2020 as an Operations Manager. I later transitioned to the medical unit in the MA Air National Guard as a Health Services Manager. In this role, I serve as a medical administration specialist and have been privileged to do the following:

    • Travel to an Army hospital in Hawaii to work alongside active-duty personnel and learn about their work.
    • Learn combat lifesaving skills and become a trainer for other service members
    • Aid in base-wide medical readiness through administrative and technical support, ensuring all service members on the base are deployment-ready

    During my most recent drill weekend, I was also awarded Airman of the Year for the Medical Group. Moreover, I will soon serve in a full-time capacity, managing the base medical readiness and unit training programs.

    What does it mean to you to be a first-gen military-affiliated student at BU? 

    I’m first-gen in multiple capacities because I am a first-gen college student and a first-gen military member. These can be difficult environments to navigate, but it makes me all the more proud to say I was able to accomplish both.

     

     

    Name: Crystal Denise Vejar

    Hometown: Logan Utah

    Undergrad Institution: Russell Sage College, Albany NY

    Current Degree Program: Master of Science in Medical Sciences 

    Branch and a Brief Overview of your Military Career so far: I’m currently a Sergeant in the Army Reserve. I came off of active duty this August after finishing up my deployment to Somalia. I am a 68D (operating room specialist) and have been a surgical tech since joining the military in 2018. I have worked at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, civilian hospitals in New York and Massachusetts, a Field Hospital, and for my deployment a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team.

    What does it mean to you to be a first-gen military-affiliated student at BU?

    Growing up as a first-generation student I was constantly facing new challenges that I felt I needed to master independently, not just for me but for my younger siblings as well. I had a strong support system at home but when I moved from Utah to New York for college everything was new to all of us and the military played a pivotal role in shaping my path to success.

    The military not only provided me with stability and discipline that helped academically, but also instilled in me a strong sense of community and teamwork that helped shape my experience in higher education. The camaraderie and support network within the military community bolstered my confidence, it helped me remember I wasn't on my journey on my own, and that I had many resources I could rely on.

    Overall, the Army helped strengthen my belief in the power of community and lead to my goal of continuously building community around me and empowering others whenever possible. BU as an institution has also made community a priority so being here, specifically in MAMS, means I'm one step closer to achieving the goals I've dreamed of achieving, and am becoming better equipped to continue supporting the many communities I hold close to my heart.

    Newbury Center Welcome and Orientation – Fall 2023

    What is a first-generation undergrad student? 

    A student in the first generation of their family to go to college (i.e., a student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn bachelor’s degrees, although elder siblings and cousins may be attending college already or have earned four-year degrees).

    What is a first-generation graduate/professional student? 

    A student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn a master's, doctorate, or a professional degree such as a JD or MD.

    Here at the Newbury Center, we provide welcome and orientations for new first-gen students to give you a warm welcome to BU. Held at the beginning of each semester, these events introduce students to the resources of the Newbury Center, share some "ins and outs" of being a first-gen student at BU, and start building your community.

    For the fall semester, we will offer separate orientations for new first generation undergraduate and graduate students, both in-person and on Zoom--please attend whichever one works best for your schedule.

     Registration details below!


    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

    • In Person Orientation- STH B24 ("Community Room")
    • Virtual Orientation- on Zoom 

    GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

    • In Person Orientations
      • Monday, September 11, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM - Charles River Campus, STH B24 ("Community Room")
        Dinner will be provided, receive a free Terrier F1RSTS t-shirt, and win some Newbury Center swag!
        REGISTER HERE by Wednesday, September 6th 
      • Tuesday, September 19, 5:00PM - 7:00 PM- BU Medical Campus, Hiebert Lounge INS 1407
        Dinner will be provided, receive a free Terrier F1RSTS t-shirt, and win some Newbury Center swag!
        REGISTER HERE by Thursday, September 14th 
    • Virtual Orientation- on Zoom

      Resources for the Class of 2027

      What is a first-generation student? A student in the first generation of their family to go to college (i.e., a student whose parents/guardians/caregivers did not earn bachelor’s degrees, although elder siblings and cousins may be attending college already or have earned four-year degrees).


      Welcome Terriers! We're excited that you've chosen Boston University to embark on your collegiate journey for the next four years.

      We are the Newbury Center, Boston University's first center devoted to supporting and celebrating first-generation college students (Terrier F1RSTS).  The center is located in the heart of campus, at 755 Commonwealth Ave in Suite B18. We are a highly visible, transformative unit of the University, offering programming and services designed to ensure that first-generation students experience the same sense of well-being, belonging, self-efficacy, and academic accomplishment as their continuing-generation peers.

      Explore what the Newbury Center has to offer first-generation students:

      We're excited to support you throughout your journey at Boston University. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our director, Maria Dykema Erb (mderb@bu.edu), our assistant director, MC Damm (mdamm@bu.edu), or give us a call at (617)353-3400.

      Make sure to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

      Ally Li ALP ’22 Seizes Opportunities as a First-Gen College Student

                       

      "It’s better to take aggressively these different opportunities, so you don’t regret not applying for them." - Ally Li, ALP ‘22, USA

      Ally Li, a Business Administration and Management student at Boston University, told her story as the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a first-in-family college student. She shared how her experiences have driven her to pursue valuable opportunities. Read More.

      New Terrier-Run Podcast Aims to Be a Resource for First-Gen Latina Students

      Vicky Plasencia (COM’23) created project with guidance from BU’s Newbury Center

      Vicky Plasencia (COM’23), a public relations major and international student from Argentina, created the First-Gen Latina Podcast to help other first-generation college students navigate financial aid and other challenges of university life.

       

      03/20/23--Howard Thurman Center, Boston University Campus. Vicky Plasencia held a launch party to celebrate the first three episodes of her new podcast about the first-generation Latinx student experience. Podcast was developed with the assistance of the Newbury Center. Photo by Jake Belcher.

      With the help of BU’s Newbury Center, a campus support service for first-generation college students like herself, Vicky Plasencia began her First-Gen Latina Podcast. From the College of Communications podcast recording studios, Plasencia addresses her listeners like a wise older sister who’s been through the tough stuff and wants to make sure they don’t have to. 

      Read the whole story here

      Terriers in Charge: Brianna Bourne (CAS’24)

      Brianna Bourne (CAS’24) grew up in Mattapan surrounded by Caribbean culture. Her neighborhood drew families originally from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica, where her parents were born. So, when the psychology and classics double major arrived at BU, she went in search of a student club that celebrated Caribbean music, dance, and food. 

       

      3/17/23 -- Boston, Massachusetts
      Brianna Bourne (CAS’24), president of SOCA, Students of Caribbean Ancestry Club
      Photo by Cydney Scott for Boston University Photography

       

      What she discovered disappointed her. There had been a student club, SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry), but it had become inactive during the COVID pandemic. Bourne tracked down two students who had been part of the club and they encouraged her to reactivate it and to reach out to the Student Activities Office (SAO) for guidance.

       

      Read the whole story here

      Terriers in Charge: Kathya Correa Almanza (CAS’25)

      After Kathya Correa Almanza (CAS’25) was accepted to BU, her sister urged her to join clubs that would provide a sense of community. The San Francisco native, whose family is from Mexico, started researching student organizations and found Alianza Latina, BU’s largest Latinx student organization, on Instagram. When she arrived on campus, she immediately sought them out during Splash, the annual student club fair.

      2/22/23 -- Boston, Massachusetts
      Kathya Correa Almanza (CAS’25) is the vice president of Alianza Latina.
      Photo by Cydney Scott for Boston University Photography

       

      “I was in search of people I could relate to and connect to,” says Correa Almanza, a first-gen student majoring in psychology and minoring in education. “The club gave me a place where I could be myself and meet kind, welcoming people from similar backgrounds, but where I could experience and learn about other Latinx cultures.” 

       

      Read the whole story here 

      COM Student among Inaugural Cohort of Obama Foundation Voyager Scholarship Winners

      Katarina “Kat” Quach (COM’24) is one of 100 college students recognized for their commitment to public service

      As a middle and high school student in Seattle, Wash., Katarina “Kat” Quach wanted to give students a voice, so she became active in student government. She also wanted to share her love of art, so she interned at the Seattle Art Museum, and after coming to BU, worked on a series of public art installations designed to promote learning and engagement in children. As a first-generation college student, Quach (COM’24) works at the Newbury Center, where she provides support and resources to other first-gen students.

      Now, her commitment to public service has earned Quach a rare distinction: she has been named one of the inaugural recipients of the Obama Foundation’s Voyager Scholarship, also known as the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.

      Read the whole story here.