Education should be a bridge to opportunities rather than a barrier. We hope this conversation helps current and future college students feel understood, connected, and inspired.
We’re launching a new storytelling series showcasing the real experiences of students and alumni navigating college, career, and personal growth — and would love for Wave-Maker alums and students to be part of it! This is your chance to share what keeps you going, the struggles you’ve faced, and the wins you’ve accomplished to help current students going through similar experiences.
“Ser parte de Making Waves cambió mi trayectoria”, dice Enrique Romero. “No tendría la formación para poder ir a la universidad”, explica él, graduado de la licenciatura en sociología por Pitzer College en California y de la maestría en políticas educativas por Harvard University en Massachusetts. Gracias al apoyo incondicional de sus padres y al acompañamiento de Making Waves, Enrique pudo tomar decisiones que lo llevaron a un futuro diferente.
A first-generation college grad, Elaine Fernandez completed five internships during college to explore fields like finance, marketing, and real estate. With her college degree in hand without any student loan debt, Elaine is now an engagement financial advisor. She is sharing her college and career story and her advice for the next generation of college grads.
The conversational series spotlights experiences and lessons learned around money topics to make this information more accessible, especially for first-generation college students and graduates.
As a sociology major at California State University, Stanislaus, Jezebelle Maldonado (she/her) chose an undergraduate research topic that wasn’t just about academics. It was personal. Now a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree to her name, Jezebelle is working in the healthcare field as a behavior technician and is considering a master’s degree in the future. “One thing I am taking with me from college is to not be afraid to build connections,” she said
A first-gen college grad, Avery Tomlin (he/him) chats about changing his college major and exploring his different career paths and passions – including fashion design – during college.
From navigating the first week of college to negotiating a first job offer, conversations between students and coaches cover many topics. A coach becomes a student’s trusted advocate, their cheerleader, the person they turn to for both wins and failures, and a person they trust to help plan their future.
A first-gen college graduate, Estefan Cervantes obtained three corporate internships during his time at Northeastern University. “I’m looking forward to being financially stable and having the ability to explore the world,” he shared reflecting on his higher education journey and next steps after graduating from Northeastern debt-free thanks to the Making Waves scholarship.
“College and post-college can become a jumbled and confusing road. But the structure from Making Waves makes it all possible,” shared Abraham Segura (he/him), a first-gen grad who followed his passions and earned his degree from San Francisco State.
An accomplished business leader, Daniel Shaw has bachelor’s degree in business from Morehouse College and an MBA from UCLA. He has extensive experience in the health and wellness technology space and he’s sharing his tips for career advancement.
College seniors in the Class of 2024 reflect on why they pursued higher education, how they found community, career experience, and connections – and what they’re exploring post-grad.
