Hi I'm Dan Saveliff, I'm the executive director
of EOP and TRiO Programs here on campus.
And I want to tell my first gen story.
My first gen story started like everybody's
I went to college at Humboldt state University
back in 1980.
I was an art major and had no real plans to
even graduate.
I valued what was modeled for me and that
was hard work and earning a weekly paycheck.
So I figured I'll do Humboldt for a couple
years I'll do that and then move on and get
a real job. and start my career and back then
you could actually make a living without having
a degree.
And somewhere along the line I decided that
art was good, I stayed with art got a minor.
But it wasn't what I thought was gonna keep
me here.
So, just before leaving I stumbled on another
field, Social Work and found a passion. and
in that passion I found a Summer job working
with Upward Bound and it touched education
and real world together and in that passion
I ended up getting a job here at EOP when
I graduated in 1985.
I never really thought about graduating so
if I were to share a prideful moment it was
actually when I was about to walk across the
stage.
I had no intention of participating in the
ceremony except that my mom was coming up
so While I was in the audience and getting
ready to have my name called and cross the
stage I thought for a moment about my mom.
and what she sacrificed and her journey and
her pride in seeing me complete this task,
this goal.
So education always meant a lot to my mom
and primarily because she didn't have one.
She didn't have a high school diploma she
certainly didn't go to college.
So any how my pride emanated from my mom.
and that's my first story and my tip is for
other first gen students is don't always have
to know where you're going to end up somewhere
good so just keep the journey going.
