Rollins Junior Shares Experience as a First-Generation College Student

Writing ahead of First-Generation College Celebration Day on November 8, Evans examined the systemic and personal hurdles faced by undergraduate students whose parents did not earn bachelor's degrees.

“According to FirstGen Forward, a national center for first-generation student success, 54% of U.S. undergraduates in 2020 had parents without a bachelor's degree. The same group reports that first-generation students graduate at far lower rates than their peers,” said Evans. While financial limitations form a core component of this challenge, the absence of familial experience with college traditions creates distinct barriers, Evans noted.

“Students whose parents went to college often hear about scholarships, internships, and careers at the dinner table. My parents have always supported me, but they could not tell me how to find a scholarship or land an internship, so I had to find people who could,” said Evans.

To overcome these obstacles, Evans stressed the necessity of building professional and institutional networks. Programs such as RISE and EMBARK at Rollins College provide vital pre-orientation support to help first-generation students acclimate, but Evans argued that individuals must actively navigate these systems.

“But programs can only open the door. Students have to walk through it, even when that means asking for help. In October 2024, I told my Asian Studies advisor that I could not afford to study abroad in China. My family was facing financial challenges, and despite years of studying Mandarin, I thought I had to let the opportunity go. Then I decided to ask what else was possible,” said Evans.

“I explained my situation to Rollins' director of Global Initiatives, who gave me time to explore my options. I applied for a scholarship, writing about my interest in Chinese culture and what the trip would mean for my education. My award was ultimately doubled, and in January 2025, I left the United States for the first time. My parents were just as excited as I was. Neither of them had ever held a passport, and at the time, my mother had never been on a plane,” she said.

Reflecting on her career preparation, Evans highlighted the importance of proactive networking, noting that her internship at a New York hedge fund materialized because she reached out directly to a professional. “Networking, I learned, is less about collecting contacts than building real relationships before you know where they lead,” she stated.

“My trip to China began with an opportunity I thought I had already lost. It happened because I spoke up and because people were willing to help. First-generation students climb mountains like Mount Tai every day, often with no one ahead of them on the trail. With the right connections, none of us has to climb alone,” concluded Evans.

Read the full op-ed here.