Public Affairs Videos

As commencement season unfolds across the country, nearly one million first-generation students are expected to earn bachelor’s degrees this year. These graduates are pioneers in their families, achieving a milestone their parents never had the opportunity to pursue. In this Chino y Chicano episode, Enrique Cerna speaks with Ana Sanchez Leon and Daniel Pastor, two recent graduates of Washington State University. They reflect on their journeys as first-generation college students, the obstacles they overcame, the support systems that helped them succeed, and what earning a college degree means for their futures and their families. Their stories highlight the determination, resilience, and pride that define the first-generation college experience.