Madison Jeffrey
Share Your Story
While I wasn’t an undergraduate Wolverine, I was a graduate Wolverine at the Marsal School of Education. As a first-gen student from a small town in southeast Ohio, I honestly wasn’t sure what college held in store for me. I just knew that my parents wanted me to do it, and that I would eventually graduate. Somewhere between exploring topics of interest and working my (multiple) part-time jobs, I realized that I was only able to navigate through college because of my supportive supervisors and peer mentors. It kickstarted my interest in studying higher education to help other students, and meant that I would need to attend graduate school. I didn’t think there was any chance I would be accepted into a place like UM, and I struggled a lot when I first came here because I didn’t have my support net anymore. Eventually I found that there were so many other Master’s students with the same interests and backgrounds as me, who were also focused on making college more accessible, equitable, and impactful for students. I’m proud to be an alum of my undergrad and graduate institutions. I’m proud of my mother for receiving her Associates degree during motherhood. I’m proud of my sister and I for being the first in our family to earn Bachelors degrees. And, I’m proud of myself for being the first in my family to earn a Master’s degree.
Your advice for other First-Gen students
There are people out there who are rooting for you and want to support you. Find them, keep them close, and don’t take them for granted. College isn’t just about graduation. It’s about growing into someone you want to be. So, give your future self a support net of people who will be there for them through good and bad. Give yourself the ability to say that you’re proud of your work and how you got there.