Amanda Pickering
Share Your Story
My education is one of my accomplishments that I’m most proud of, not only because I’m a first-generation college graduate, but also because I achieved it largely on my own, and I didn’t give up when it got hard. I grew up in a small town, and I had a moderate amount of emotional support when I decided to embark on my college journey, but no financial support. I was a Pell-grant recipient, and I struggled to find a path for many years, but I knew I wanted a college education. I started out at a community college, found my way to a state university that turned out not to be a good fit for me, went back to community college, made my way to art school, which also turned out not to be a good fit for me, and then I dropped out. I spent a couple of years thinking about where I wanted to land, completed cosmetology school and that turned out not to be a good fit either. I didn’t give up though, and kept searching for something that felt right to me, and eventually I returned to college, this time with a declared major and a plan. I finally graduated from Oakland University (with honors) with a bachelor’s degree in English and History with a Secondary Education certificate, a full decade after graduating from high school. I didn’t stop there, either. Once I had a few years of teaching high school under my belt, I returned to college, this time at Wayne State University, to pursue a Master’s degree. I completed my coursework while working full-time and graduated (again, with honors) soon after becoming a first-time mom. It was a long road for me, but I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish despite the odds against me.
Your advice for other First-Gen students
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, and don’t be afraid to take a pause to figure things out if you need to.