Gaudalupe Zepeda

Senior, Guadalupe Zepeda, moved from California to Fort Smith when she was just one year old. Her parents were always hard workers, and they moved to the United States from Latin America to give their children a better future.

While attending Northside HS in Fort Smith, Guadalupe decided, with the help of her school counselor, that she wanted to work towards a degree in elementary education. Guadalupe says she decided that UAFS was the college for her because of its close proximity to home and affordability.

After beginning as a freshman at UAFS, Guadalupe said she struggled. She felt like she was starting out behind because she had to take a couple of developmental education classes, as well as having some personal insecurities that come from being the first in her family to go to college. She said she felt left out because she couldn’t relate, and she didn’t know where to turn to find the resources she needed. Wrapping up her first semester she also had some questions about her major.

She made an appointment and with her advisor who helped her decide that a degree in her minor, Social Work, would be a better fit. Guadalupe states that this change was the best for her.

Once she started on her social work degree, Guadalupe says she really pushed herself to do the best she could, because she knew that she wanted a better future. She claims that the Babb Center for Student Professional Development has been one of the best resources she has now found. They have helped her create a resume and cover letter and prepare for interviews, as she gets ready to graduate.

Her best advice for other first generation students is: “Don’t give up! You’ll have obstacles, but if you want to finish college, push yourself forward and show the world that you can become somebody.”

This is Guadalupe, and she is #First2Go.