Forging a Path

PHOTO: John Emigh Undergraduate Student Government vice president Brenda Ramirez credits Iowa’s First Gen Hawks program with empowering her to find her place in college—and to help others do the same.

When Brenda Ramirez began the college-application process as a first-generation student in Round Lake, Ill., she couldn't have imagined she'd one day be vice president of Undergraduate Student Government at the University of Iowa.

Her parents, both immigrants from Mexico, worked long hours to support Ramirez and her three sisters. From an early age, the girls knew their parents wanted them to experience opportunities they didn't have—starting with attending college.

Ramirez, now a fourth-year economics and political science major, was determined to make it happen; she just didn’t know how. Though her family and teachers encouraged her, none of them had the resources or experience to streamline the application process. There were no tutors for standardized testing, no college-essay workshops, and no how-to checklists.

Ramirez watched many of her older peers who didn’t have that support either avoid college altogether or drop out within the first year. “It was like driving without being able to see,” says Ramirez. “I had no clue where I was going. I just knew I needed to get somewhere.”

She decided that if no one around her had the answers, she would find them herself. After exploring YouTube tutorials and college FAQ pages, she pieced together a strong application that eventually yielded offers from several schools.

Ramirez chose Iowa because of its strong support systems—both financially, through grants and scholarships, and academically, through its First Gen Hawks program, which would help her adjust to college life.

Though she didn’t get a chance to visit campus before committing, everything she knew about the school, the city, and the people just seemed right. “I knew I belonged at Iowa,” says Ramirez. 

Still, her freshman year was daunting. On her own for the first time and afraid of failing, Ramirez initially restricted herself to classes and work, worried that extracurriculars and outings might hurt her chances of success. However, meeting with the First Gen Hawks allowed her to settle into college life.

“I love the First Gen Hawks. I knew that if I ever needed help, it was a program I could fall back on.” she says.

In addition to providing resources for academic support and career building, the program encouraged her to find a work-life balance with friends and clubs. This motivated Ramirez to join Undergraduate Student Government as a sophomore.

Now, as vice president of the organization, she helps improve the college experience for other first-generation students. After graduating this spring, she hopes to work in the field of public policy—and one day run for office—as a way to keep giving back.

“I love the idea that something I do today will help students five years from now,” she says. “Even if they don’t know who I am, they will know someone was thinking about them.”