[MUSIC]
The first-gen identity is
an invisible one, you wouldn't know
that someone was first-generation
if they didn't say it.
And it is one that is in
certain ways disadvantaged.
But then, there's definitely a lot
of things to be proud of for
being first-gen too.
Just in case, as we see a lot
of new faces, I guess, it's
pretty simple based on our title,
but we're the club for FGLI or
first-gen low
income students on campus.
And so, yeah,
we're really excited to have you.
I am the President and Co-Founder
of the undergraduate student
organization called FLIP @ BostonU,
and FLIP stands for
First-Generation Low Income
Partnership.
A first-generation college student
is someone whose parents,
guardians, or caregivers did not
go to college themselves or
did not complete college in
the United States.
So our club is for first-gen and or
low income students
as we recognize them.
Not every first generation student
is low income and vice versa, but
oftentimes those two are linked.
And so,
we try to do both social community
building events as well as sort of
academic pre-professional events.
>> There you go, and
just- >> There we go.
>> I love that.
>> Thank you.
>> No matter how long we take for
these we always run over,
so I appreciate y'all.
>> The other graduating members of
our are Annie, our vice president,
and Cecilia our treasurer.
And it's a really special time for
us because we're the first in our
families to graduate.
>> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH]
>> FLIP is a club that I would have
loved to have had my freshman year,
because my parents don't know what
it is to be in college.
My mom babysits and
my dad has a job at a supermarket.
I'm super proud of them, but
I can't ask them,
how do you go on LinkedIn,
how do I make a resume?
They can't say, maybe BU has a
resource that can help you do this.
And I think that a lot of
the problems that I kinda dealt
with sometimes would come from that
first-gen low income identity.
And before FLIP, there wasn't
really anything on campus for that.
>> Being first-gen, it's having to
figure everything out on your own.
Then the low income experience is
that you do have to balance work
life, school life, social life.
Not only do you have homework, but
you have to go to work, real work.
A lot of FGLI students, they're
balancing two, three jobs and
I feel like that's something that
a lot of students don't understand.
So, when FLIP meets,
it's a space to really talk about
things like that.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, people want
they can start downing pizzas.
So yes, pepperoni, cheese, veggie.
>> You ready?
One, two, three.
>> [LAUGH] >> It didn't go in.
>> [LAUGH] >> That's so
embarrassing.
>> Feel free to grab boba and
pizza and sit places.
But yeah, we just wanna start by
talking about in general,
how did y'all feel today?
>> It feels really nice,
there's other people in the same
situation as me, very similar.
It is difficult coming into college
not knowing what to expect,
not having a parent that can be
your mentor.
Cuz I have friends
that their parents went to college,
they got a master's degree,
they got a PhD, they're CEOs and
lawyers or doctors.
>> It's tough, people ask what your
parents do for a living?
>> It comes with a sense of, okay,
how do I prepare myself?
How do I cushion it?
>> [LAUGH] >> If my mom is
a babysitter can I be,
she just educates.
>> [LAUGH] >> Yes,
it sucks sometimes, but
I don't know, the feeling I get
when there's people that are in
the same position that I am,
meaning they're at BU and
their parents are doctors,
they went to Harvard.
I'm my dad's a construction worker,
we're in the same place.
>> [LAUGH] >> There are a lot of
pressures and burdens and
feelings that come with being FGLI,
a lot of them can be negative.
But how do you all deal with them,
I guess, or
what motivates you to keep going?
>> Just being in this room,
seeing other people like me, and
just knowing that I'm not the only
one struggling.
That has been something
that has helped me a lot,
just knowing that I'm not alone.
And just that, this is something to
be proud of, we are the first
that is already crazy.
The fact that we're here in
the first place, got through
the whole college application kind
of by ourselves, by ourselves.
We are 18 to 20 figuring out taxes,
that's kinda crazy.
And just the fact that we
did it in the first place, I think
it's just a lot of pride that built
up as I've gotten to this point.
>> FLIP has definitely taught me to
not be afraid to talk about my FGLI
experiences.
And being able to have
those conversations with other FGLI
students has really been one of
the highlights
of my college experience.
>> I'm very happy that I can pass
on FLIP,
because it's super important for
us to be advocating on behalf of
first-gen, and it's something that
I hope stays forever at BU.
>> I'm really glad to see that our
club will live on,
I came in without it, and so
just thinking about the fact that
there will be people who enter BU
who have never known a time without
FLIP, that's really awesome.
[MUSIC] >> Good evening and
welcome to the Newbury Center
second annual first-generation
graduation pinning ceremony.
Tonight, we're honoring 156 of our
first-generation undergraduate,
graduate, and professional
students, both in person and
virtually through our live stream.
I especially want to take a moment
to highlight our First-Generation
Low Income Partnership chapter or
FLIP @ BostonU.
Prior to the Newbury Center's
establishment, a group of first-gen
and low income background students,
came together on their own during
the height of the pandemic
to create their own student
organization.
FLIP @ BostonU, is now the official
undergraduate student organization
of the Newbury Center.
Maelee Chen, Annie Hallett,
Cecilia Jarquin Tapia,
you've left a lasting legacy for
future first-gen undergraduates.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> I'm insanely
grateful, my literal single mom
working six days a week would be,
don't do anything,
just do your schoolwork,
just focus on academics.
And so, I want to repay her and
I don't know if that's possible.
But using the most of this academic
opportunity is one way that I would
be able to say, thank you for
doing all these things for me and
this is what I've done with myself
from this gift.
>> I'm really proud of myself,
it's a big step to be the first
person in your family to graduate.
And I think I'm more proud to do
it for my family than anything.
And I feel like a lot
of first-gens feel like that,
it's sort of a relief moment.
Because it's like you finally did
it, they finally get to see all of
their dreams come true.
>> First-gen students aren't likely
to graduate, low income students
aren't likely to graduate.
So to be an example of someone who
is successful means so much to me,
because anyone who's at BU can say,
well, she did it, I can do it too.
>> Cecilia A Jarquin Tapia.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Maelee Chen.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Annie Hallett.
>> [APPLAUSE]
>> Hello.
>> [LAUGH]
[MUSIC]