First in the family

Michael Lin ’21

Two months before Michael Lin ’21 was born, his family moved from China to Queens. When Lin was in the sixth grade, his father died, leaving his mother to support the family with a factory job. Lin was determined to enroll in college, but worried about the cost.

The Alan and Jane Handler Endowed Scholarship, established by University Board Chair Richard Handler ’83 and his wife, Martha, erased those fears. The University’s leading award, its benefits include financial support, individual mentorship, and access to previous Handler Scholars. “It was a blessing,” Lin says. He struggled his first year but befriended fellow students in Tiernan Hall and resident advisors who became mentors. He joined Sigma Chi fraternity and UR Photography.

He also is helping future first-generation students apply to college—a process he found “confusing and stressful.” He proposed a mentoring program involving Handler Scholars at East High School—part of the Rochester City School District, but managed in partnership with the University. Superintendent Shaun Nelms ’13W (EdD), who also teaches at the Warner School, accepted the idea, and the Handler Scholars are now part of East’s Step to College program, offering advice and hosting students on the River Campus

Marines Espinal ’21

When Marines Espinal ’21 moved from the Dominican Republic to New York City at age 10, she realized she had “the opportunity of a lifetime” awaiting her. “I became really passionate about education,” she says. “I wanted to make my mom proud and be able to provide for her in the future.”

Espinal enrolled in Rochester’s Early Connection Opportunity, a summer program that prepares first-year students for the academic and social challenges of college. “Entering college as a first-generation student was really intimidating,” she says. “ECO helped me get to know the campus and the resources I could use.”

She joined the dance group Ma’Frisah and found her “home on campus” at the Office of Minority Student Affairs. “Whenever I’m down, I know I can go there and see faces that will brighten my day and give me hope and motivation,” she says. Espinal plans to pursue a master’s degree leading to work that will better the environment.

Pech Chhun ’19

Pech Chhun ’19 didn’t speak English when he left Cambodia for Rochester with his mother and sister at age eight—but college was part of the plan, if the financial resources were there. He enrolled in an International Baccalaureate program in high school and was named a Brady Scholar in recognition of his engagement in the Early Connection Opportunity program.

“I struggled my first year at Rochester,” he says. “The traits I had learned, being independent and self-sufficient, had to be unlearned so that I could use campus resources that could help me. It took about two years.”

Chhun became a resident advisor, a D’Lion, and a member of Debate Union. He also founded the student organization First Gen Society and serves as president. “I’m so proud of it,” he says. “I hope it serves students well for many years after I’m gone from the University.” Chhun will graduate in May. His sister, Pechrasmey, received her degree from the School of Nursing in December.

Dulce Martinez Alarcon ’22

In some respects, Dulce Martinez Alarcon ’22 had a typical first day of college.

“I didn’t know anyone,” says the Mexico native, who moved to Arizona with her family at age three. “I realized how far from home I was. It was a tough day.” But as the first person in her family to go to college, Martinez, whose academic interests include business, psychology, and philosophy, felt she had to carry an extra burden. “I had to figure everything out for myself,” she says. It got better as she “started finding people I could relate to and made friends. And I saw all of the help available on campus.”

She became a Kearns Scholar, joined SALSITA (Spanish and Latino Students in Training for Awareness), and signed up for the First Gen Society club. “Those clubs gave me an opportunity to meet people like me,” she says.

The Kirschenbaum Scholarship, established by Robert ’70 and Ellen Kirschenbaum, supports undergraduates in the School of Arts &Sciences, with a preference for need-based students from Arizona. “It’s the reason I’m here,” she says. Martinez aspires to a career in law.

Alejandro Vera ’22

When Alejandro Vera ’22 moved across the country last August to begin college, he felt “a combination of excitement and pure fear and anxiety.”

“Lost doesn’t begin to describe how I felt,” he says. “Everybody seemed to know where to go and how to get there.” His worries dissipated when he joined the First Gen Society, a student organization offering peer support to first-generation students. He was introduced to the Office of Minority Student Affairs and the David T. Kearns Center and went from feeling like an outsider to a member of the community.

“UR has quickly felt more and more like my home,” he says. “I’ve found the right people to surround myself with and have become more comfortable with the campus and the city.” After graduating, Vera plans to take a gap year to gain experience and work toward getting into medical school. His career goal is to become an OB/GYN. “I’m fascinated by the idea of helping to bring life into this world,” he says.

Anna Gasanova ’20E

Anna Gasanova ’20E began playing the viola at age nine and spent her final two years of high school at the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts. “It gave me a pretty good grasp on dorm life, so I wasn’t that nervous about coming to Eastman,” she says.

Her parents emigrated from the former Soviet Union, and her father died when she was four. She relied on close family friends, books, and movies to give her a sense of what to expect from college life.

“Eastman was my dream school, and I was really excited about coming here,” she says. “It’s incredibly intense as far as academics go. It really teaches you to be a well-rounded musician.”

The Noble Hanson Scholarship Fund for Eastman students was established in 1993 by Karen Noble Hanson ’70, a life trustee who died last November. The Anne M. Braxton Scholarship Endowment was established in 2010 by her estate. “It takes away the worry and struggle and makes your dreams come true,” says Gasanova.

Mouhamed Diakhate ’22

Mouhamed Diakhate ’22 calls the KRFrench Family Scholars Program a “blessing.” Established last year by Kenneth French ’78S (MBA), ’83S (PhD) and his wife, Vickie, it benefits students with high academic potential and demonstrated financial need.

“My parents aren’t US citizens, and I was under 18, so taking out a loan wasn’t an option,” he says. “The scholarship made everything possible.”

Diakhate moved back to Manhattan three years ago and attended Boys Hope Girls Hope, a college-preparatory program that operates internationally. That helped in his transition to college, but it was still stressful. “I was entering a new chapter in my life,” he says. “My RA, D’Lion, and resident fellow made sure I was where I needed to be the first few weeks and made me feel welcome here. And I discovered student clubs which made me feel I belonged.”

Diakhate hopes to join the Black Students’ Union, Pan-African Students Association, and the Minority Male Leadership Association.

Majd Ismail ’21

Majd Ismail ’21 felt “lost” when he started college. “I worried I wouldn’t make friends,” he says. “I worried about balancing everything while being on my own and felt pressure to live up to my parents’ expectations.”

His resident advisor, Garret Gay ’18 helped put him at ease. “He reassured me that everything would work out, and I’d eventually feel more comfortable at college,” Ismail says. “And he was right.”

Ismail discovered study groups at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning which allowed him to manage his workload. He also joined the Sigma Chi fraternity. “It became my home away from home,” he says. “It surrounded me with friends I knew would do anything to help me.”

Being a Hajim Scholar has allowed him to focus on school, rather than stress about finances. “It’s allowed me to connect with people I otherwise would never have met,” he says. Ismail wants to continue his education in graduate school and eventually work with prosthetics, in the industrial or research fields.

Seyvion Scott ’19

The first days at Rochester were difficult for Seyvion Scott ’19, who had no one to guide her. “I was able to meet the academic rigor,” she says, “but the culture shock took hold of me and made me feel inadequate.”

It was during that challenging first year that she discovered the Frederick Douglass Institute, established in 1986 to promote the development of African and African-American studies. “FDI became a safe haven for me,” she says. “It was a space where I could earn money, chat about my experiences, and feel comfortable in my own skin.”

Scott joined the Black Students’ Union and was an Urban Fellow for the Rochester Center for Community Leadership. She maintained a local children’s garden and helped register city residents to vote. In 2017, the Susan B. Anthony Center awarded her the Dean Ruth A. Merrill Award, given to an undergraduate woman from Rochester who advocates for the region and participates in University and community activities that promote the well-being of Rochester residents.

Scott plans to earn a master’s degree in library science.