Brandon Reyes Parra
Share Your Story
As a former DACA recipient, college felt so far away after I graduated high school in 2015. I’m a non-traditional student; I didn’t go straight to a four-year university. At the time, I felt like I wasn’t good enough because I got rejected by all my top choices: GVSU, Ferris State, MSU, Western Michigan, and Calvin. My high school required everyone to get accepted into a four-year institution, and Baker College was the only one that admitted me. However, I soon realized I couldn’t afford Baker either, so I enrolled in community college instead. I started out full-time, but because funding options for DACA recipients were extremely limited back then, I had to drop down to part-time. I worked throughout my entire education, which took a heavy toll. As a first-generation student in every sense of the word, I had to figure everything out on my own. I say proudly that I come from an immigrant family. Like so many others, my parents didn’t know how to navigate the college system and that wasn’t their fault. They did what they had to do so I could have opportunities, and whether the path was smooth or rough, walking it made me who I am today. I always wanted to go to MSU; you might be surprised to hear that I dreamt of attending a top university in Michigan. Little did I know that I would end up at the best public institution in the nation that’s right, GO BLUE! Education was always important to me, but for a long time, finishing my degree felt so distant that I thought I’d never make it past community college. Still, I kept trying. I remember telling my academic advisor early on that I wanted to be an architect. I mentioned having trouble with math in high school, and she told me, ‘I don’t think this field is for you.’ That comment left me lost, not knowing what direction to take, or if I’m built for university-level education. Over the years, I worked across different industries as a customer service representative, team lead, account manager, and project manager. Even with those roles, I still wanted to go back to school it had always been my dream but another closed door always seemed to get in my way. We often assume life gets figured out right after high school, but it doesn’t work like that. You never know what might happen or when new opportunities will come into view; you just have to grab them when they do. Later in my college journey, I found a great mentor through TRIO who provided essential guidance. I couldn’t access their official financial resources as a DACA student, but once I became a Green Card holder, everything shifted. I was finally eligible for resources like FAFSA. Still, I will never forget the doors that were shut in my face, or hearing the financial aid office say they couldn’t help me because of my DACA status. Fast forward to 2026: yes, I am earning my undergraduate degree at the School of Information in a STEM field one that requires plenty of math for the Information Analysis pathway, which I still do every day. I made peace with math because people believed in me, and the university saw my resilience, drive, and energy to pursue my education. That dedication never faded over the years it was simply waiting for the right moment/people for me to become a Wolverine.
Your advice for other First-Gen students
I want to share my favorite quote. I actually have a sticker of it. ‘If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair’ by Shirley Chisholm. Yes, we might experience imposter syndrome, and I still fight it, but I always remember that I brought my own folding chair to every table because I didn’t care if I failed I just wanted to be there like anyone else.