First-Generation Students

University of Alabama in Huntsville (B.A.), Louisiana Tech University (M.A. & Ph.D.) I am originally from Huntsville, Alabama. I was raised by a single mother who did not obtain a college degree, but always stressed the importance of education. Growing up, I watched my mother struggle to make ends meet and find consistent work without… [Read More]

I began my 24th year in higher education at Austin College in July 2020 as the Director of Student Success and Transitions.  I started my career in education working as an Admissions Counselor and then created what is now called the Diversity and Inclusion Office at a private liberal arts college in Nebraska.  This position,… [Read More]

An avid hiker, gamer, and father of one, I grew up in the Beaumont area of Southeast Texas before going off to Tiffin, Ohio to attend Heidelberg University, a small liberal arts school much like Austin College. After graduating with a History degree and German minor, I enrolled in the Medieval Institute at Western Michigan… [Read More]

Born into a large family in rural western Kentucky, I was the first in my immediate family to go to college and only one of a handful of my extended family to do so. I attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky where I received a BA in Mathematics and Spanish. I then attended Indiana University… [Read More]

My name is Renee Countryman, and I am a first-generation college graduate. I am also a professor in the psychology department with a focus on neuroscience. My dad was a high school dropout, and my mom only earned her high school diploma. My dad learned how to be a mechanic in the Army, and my mom made… [Read More]

I grew up in a lower-middle-class family in the Oak Cliff area of south Dallas. No one in my family had attended college. I was extremely motivated to study at the best school I could get into, because I loved to learn, and I had had success as a student. I remember requesting admissions materials… [Read More]

I’m a first-generation college student who was born and raised in northeastern Ohio. Growing up as the son of a factory worker and an administrative assistant the importance of college was always emphasized, even though neither of my parents had attended themselves. They knew of it as a gateway to a “good job,” but that… [Read More]

I am the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Austin College. I oversee Residence Life, Student Activities, Student Conduct, Food Services, Greek Life, Campus Center Operations, and Summer Conferences/Auxiliary Services. I worked as the Director of Student Life at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California for three years… [Read More]