Cal State Fullerton graduate student Lizeth Fuentes credits the “I Am First” program for helping her embrace her first-gen experience and putting her on the path to a master’s degree in social work.
“The ‘I Am First’ program allows first-generation students to see ourselves in professional spaces we may find unreachable when we’re starting out in our education,” said Fuentes, who graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in human services.
Launched in spring 2020 by the CSUF Career Center, the “I Am First” program helps first-generation college students achieve academic and career success by focusing on such areas as social capital, leadership skills and professional networking. The program hosts such events as alumni panels, career expos and speed networking sessions. Students are also paired with alumni mentors who provide valuable insights into how to launch careers in competitive industries.
“The comprehensive nine-week initiative is designed to empower first-generation students at CSUF in pursuing their career aspirations while fostering a sense of community among their peers,” said Stephanie Reyes, senior associate director of the Career Center. “Our goal is for students to complete the program with increased self-confidence and access to tangible resources and tools that will help them expand their professional networks and continue developing their career-related skills.”
Since its inception, the “I Am First” program has supported 486 first-gen students and awarded approximately $56,000 in scholarships. In 2023, the National Association of Colleges and Employers recognized the program with a Career Excellence Award for its innovative approach to career development. The program also garnered the 2024 Region VI Innovative Program Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators for its dedicated service to students.
Creating Career Connections
For Fuentes, the “I Am First” program played an instrumental role in paving the way for a career in health care.
Reyes recognized Fuentes’ passion for helping others and encouraged her to apply to the micro-internship program, which provides students with opportunities to execute professional assignments for top companies and build a strong skill set suited to their career interests.
“Before the program, I thought an undergrad degree would be enough for me, but participating in the Kaiser micro-internship through the CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County made me realize that I wanted to dream bigger,” said Fuentes.
Throughout the internship, Fuentes collaborated with Kaiser Permanente leaders to address real-world issues in the health care industry.
“I found myself in professional spaces where my voice mattered, surrounded by professionals and leaders who valued our experiences and wanted to see first-gen students make an impact in our fields,” said Fuentes.
Inspired by this experience, Fuentes plans to earn her master’s degree in social work, become a licensed clinical social worker and return to higher education as a professor or lecturer, where she can empower future first-gen students like herself.
“My undergraduate degree and all other degrees I garner in the future set a new precedent for my family and allow future generations to see higher education within reach and hopefully as an expectation down the line,” she said. “I also aspire to serve as a role model and mentor to my two boys, Gerardo and Gael, in their academic journeys.”
Balancing her roles as a mother, wife and daughter, Fuentes has also found strength in the empathy and encouragement she receives from the CSUF community. She said that connecting with fellow first-gen students through the “I Am First” program has been transformational.
“The relationships and support systems I’ve built are invaluable,” she said. “This program taught me that I should always bring my whole self to college. I am welcomed and understood as a nontraditional student.”