How I learned to celebrate my identity as a first-generation, international student This Ph.D. student used to focus on fitting in—until he realized that his differences were a source of strength. #InternationalStudentsDay #FirstGenStudent bit.ly/47C9cUo

In honor of First-Gen Day on Nov. 8, the First-Gen Initiative Committee & the Student Equity Center have created a First-Gen Student Support Series to celebrate & empower our first-generation students and staff. Register: forms.office.com/r/KkC8mYj09… #FirstGenStudent #ProudToBeSMC

#1 in the UK. #2 in the world. Two years running. And once upon a time… I nearly didn’t even apply. As a first-generation student raised in a single-parent household, university wasn’t something I was prepared for. No one around me talked about it. I saw my first league table the day before the application deadline. My main concern? Affordability. There was no point being accepted if I couldn’t afford to attend. I remember checking every possible route to each University’s campus on Citymapper; not for the fastest, but for the cheapest one. And last year, I graduated as a doctor from @imperialcollege a place that challenged me, changed me, and has officially now cemented its position as the best university in the UK. Today, I’m a postdoctoral research fellow at the @MayoClinic ranked the best hospital in the world for 10 years straight, working at the frontiers of heart failure research, and applying for Internal Medicine residency in the USA. But none of this was handed to me. Even with the max student loan, I had to balance clinical rotations with working as a brand ambassador for @Amazon, a private tutor, and a personal trainer. I even worked as a waiter and teacher's assistant during Summer breaks. Scholarships from The @Portal_Trust, The @ApothecariesLDN and The Campden Foundation helped cover the costs of USMLE and electives. People from low-income backgrounds shouldn’t have to navigate a maze of scholarships to chase their dreams. But this is the world we live in. So we find a way. In the USA, more than 75% of medical students came from families in the top two quintiles of family income, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Worse still, in the United Kingdom only 5% of medical students are from working class backgrounds according to a recent study by @ucl. The playing field isn’t just uneven, it’s tilted. Most of my classmates grew up around doctors. For many, medicine was a natural next step. For the 5%, it’s a leap into unfamiliar territory, without a safety net, without built-in networks. And yet, we try to carve out space anyway. In this hyper-connected world, so much of success still hinges on who you know, but if you didn’t inherit those connections, building them from scratch can feel like starting a marathon a mile behind the line. Still, I’m aware of the privileges I do have... Being born in the United Kingdom, having access to a world-class education, and the opportunity to pursue a career I love. That alone puts me in a position so many others can only dream of, people who hope not for residency interviews, but for clean water and safety. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞? Mentorship opening doors I didn’t know existed. Persistence that outlasted every setback. Late nights spent studying hoping it would all be worth it. An unshakable belief that where you start, your postcode, your family’s income, whether you have both parents cheering you on or just one, should never be a shadow that dims how brightly you let yourself shine. I sat STEP1 & STEP2 while studying and in research full-time, and still scored in the 99th and 96th percentiles, respectively. Not because I had all the answers. But because I had mentors who helped me craft a strategy, and reminded me I belonged, even when I didn’t feel like I did. To any student doubting whether you belong in elite spaces: 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐 The struggle isn’t a flaw in your journey; it’s the reason your story matters and is worth telling. And if the system doesn’t make room for you, build your own room, then invite others in… I get a lot of messages asking how to get involved in research, and how I landed a fully-funded research position at Mayo Clinic. So, I’m building something to help others do the same. 🎯 I’m co-founding a platform with @KaranChhatwal_ a FREE, open-access research hub for medical students and doctors to connect, and collaborate, with zero gatekeeping and plenty of honest mentorship. Time to level the playing field. Want early access? Comment “Research” and I’ll personally DM you with an invite to our network. #FirstGenStudent #ImperialCollegeLondon #MayoClinic #MedicalEducation

It's National First-Generation College Celebration Day! 🎉 Our first-gen Pride says what being a first-gen student means to them, and the resources here at Hofstra that help them succeed. 🦁 #HofstraU #FirstGenStudent

We ♥️ our First Gen Students! Thank you for celebrating #FirstGenStudent Day with us! #RhodeIslandCollege #BeBOLD #FirstGen

First-gen, first career fair! Grateful for this moment and excited for what’s next. #WSUSpotlight 📸: Nabila Ahmed Eshat Share your pics and videos via go.wayne.edu/wsu-spotlight. #WarriorPride #WayneStateUniversity #FirstGenStudent #FirstGenerationDay #FirstGen

Listen to the full episode of the College Corner Podcast with @mdcpresident on your favorite podcast platform or visit takestockinchildren.org/aimi… @mdcollege @FLCollegeAccess #BeMDC #floridafirstgen #firstgen #firstgenerationcollegestudent #firstgenstudent

From first generation college student to a future in cardiology - Charlie Pérez-Suárez's journey is exactly what our partnership with @UICOMPeoria is all about! #BradleyUniversity #UICOMP #FirstGenStudent #Healthcare #Cardiology #AmericanHeartAssociation bit.ly/4h0eGuz

Ranked among #Top2Percent #Scientists globally! Proud 1st-gen ever been to school. Grateful for mentors, colleagues & family. Education & collaboration matter! #Bioinformatics #Immunology #Oncology #CiteStone #FirstGenStudent

The latest in our Internship - Did You Know Series speaks to the intern pay disparity between first gen and non-first gen college students. #internships #internpay #firstgenstudent

First year at Bradley, First-gen student AND First Political Science & International Studies Academic Excellence Award winner!? Congrats to Elaysia Sanders for all her hard work and earning this inaugural recognition 🤩 🙌 #BradleyUniversity #AcademicExcellence #FirstGenStudent

& now to tell my family I won an award they’ve never heard of to conduct research they don’t understand! #firstgenstudent 💚

No matter what form it takes -- a blueprint, a guide, or a mentor -- we all need a little help sometimes. For first-generation students, help has come from a new Nashville State student organization called “Me 1st.” More: nscc.edu/news/me-1st-is-empo… #NashvilleState #FirstGenStudent

My Venmo is ambitiousollie, CashApp is $OllieHernandez, and PayPal is ollievonzellhernandez@gmail.com. I’ve dealt with food insecurity before, but never like this. It’s either buy food or pay my PGE and rent, and rent and utilities come first. #mutualaid #firstgenstudent

Meet Edward Lopez, a first-gen college student and eldest of five. With the scholarship he received, he's pursuing a Business major, dreams of real estate, and aims to uplift low-income families. #EastEndProud #EECOC #Scholarship #FirstGenStudent

We're celebrating our incredible first-gen employees this week! Thank you for being a part of our team! @samhoustonstate #firstgenstudent #SHSU

It's time to #CelebrateFirstGen this week! In this year's BU Wheelock Magazine, we joined assoc. prof. @tony_jack to discuss his work to make campuses more welcoming to first-gen students: spr.ly/6012uSRAA #FirstGenStudent #BostonUniversity #WeAreWheelock

Please join @NepantlaNS for a special first-generation event featuring keynote speaker, Emmanuelle De Jesus. From 2-3 in the KAB Auditorium #firstgenstudent #NevadaState

Today, we highlight Annie Zhang, a second-year nursing and first-generation student. While school was daunting at first, Annie thanked her family, friends and those she met in Student Support Services to help her feel at home and reach her goals. #MyIUN #FirstGenStudent

Next in our #FirstGenStudent celebration is Treniece Burrel, who said being a first-gen student allows her to be "an example and a trailblazer." Thanks to Student Support Services, Treniece says she feels gratified knowing she's setting an example for her children. #MyIUN