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Tag: First-Gen

Voices of Making Waves text next to photos of Alison holding up her grad stole and celebrating with her mother
Career and Job Resources

Putting Passion into Practice and Advancing Health Equity with a Degree in Public Health

“Reaching college graduation is evidence for me that I can do anything and that I’m strong,” shared Alison Paxtor, a Wave-Maker and first-generation college graduate. Now with a newly minted degree in health sciences from California State University, East Bay, Alison has been putting her studies and her passion into action — making healthcare more equitable and improving care for underserved communities.

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Bonnie Shea August 2, 2022
Jailene Lopez, Camryn Downey, Jennifer Diaz, and Alison Paxter in graduation caps and gowns
Coaching For College

Moments That Made Waves This Graduation Season

Celebrating more than 75 Making Waves Academy graduates and more than 100 Wave-Maker college graduates, plus welcoming new Wave-Makers into our college success program were among the moments that made waves this graduation season.

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Bonnie Shea July 19, 2022
Jailene Lopez in her cap and gown
News and Stories

Celebrating More Than 100 Wave-Makers Graduating College

This year, more than 100 Wave-Makers celebrated receiving their degrees from more than 20 colleges and universities across California and the United States. Supported by Making Waves Foundation’s college success program, known as the College and Alumni Program, or CAP, the majority of Wave-Makers are first-generation college graduates. The program provides scholarships, one-to-one coaching, financial literacy services and more to support students in graduating college as quickly and with as little debt as possible.

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Bonnie Shea June 29, 2022
Dark blue graphic with teal circle that has text for 3 Ways to make the most of your internship
Career and Job Resources

Three Ways to Make the Most of Your Internship

Getting ready for your internship or job? Having the intern title on your resume is one thing, but gaining new skills or seeing if the organization is a good fit is another. One of our college coaches, Danielle Hall, has teamed up with college students and alumni to share advice on how make the most of your internship experience so you can gain a better understanding of yourself and your field.

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Danielle Hall June 7, 2022
Jennifer in graduation gear with Bay sign and Jennifer with hands in air celebration graduation
Career and Job Resources

Graduating College, With Determination and With Honors

As she graduates from Cal State East Bay and moves on to work at the California State Bar, Wave-Maker and first-generation student Jennifer Diaz is taking a moment to reflect on her experiences and accomplishments, including completing a restorative justice internship and graduating with honors.

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Bonnie Shea May 27, 2022
Graphic with blue light bulbs and text for 4 Tips for Dealing with Post-Grad Anxiety
Career and Job Resources

Life after College: Four Tips for Dealing with Post-Grad Anxiety

College graduation is a time filled with many celebrations as well as many changes. We recommend learning about helpful strategies to have a smooth transition to life after college, including these four tips to help ease your anxiety about the next phase (hint: it’s all going to be okay).  

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Making Waves Education Foundation May 5, 2022
Dark blue background with grad caps and teal circle with text for Steps to Stay on Track for Graduation
Coaching For College

Planning Your College Journey: Steps to Stay on Track for Graduation

We partner with students to create education and graduation plans that support them with graduating in the fastest timeline and with the least debt as possible. These three steps for education planning can begin before you even step foot on a college campus and should be revisited each term to ensure you stay on track all the way through graduation.

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Dr. Kristina Wright May 2, 2022