June 1, 2026 For many students, college can feel intimidating. For first-generation college students, that challenge often comes with added pressure and uncertainty. Through TRIO programs at Grand Rapids Community College, students receive academic and financial guidance, tutoring and one-on-one advising designed to help them navigate college and pursue their goals. “When we get the opportunity to work with students in our TRIO programs, we get to nurture an established curiosity, bravery and desire to learn that is apparent in many first-generation college students,” said Victoria Powers, TRIO director. “We are very lucky in that we have the luxury of time with our students.” Powers said students receive individualized advising and support from staff members with different areas of expertise. The program also hosts faculty office hours within the TRIO space, giving students easier access to professors in a more comfortable environment. “Students get an opportunity to see that we are all right here saying we don’t have all of the answers,” Powers said. “But I can get you to someone who might have a different answer that can take the student further along in that conversation.” Finding Support and Building Confidence Four students in the TRIO STEM program — Daniela Alcantar-Nava, Gabriela Martinez-Rivera, Raven Roman and Dulce Reyes-Loredo — said the program helped them navigate college as first-generation students and women pursuing careers in STEM-related fields.   Alcantar-Nava, a 2025 graduate of East Kentwood High School, is pursuing the ADN nursing pathway at GRCC. Drawn to math and science from an early age, she took Advanced Placement physics, biology and chemistry courses in high school and hopes to eventually become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Inspired by her older sister’s college journey, Alcantar-Nava said her education is about creating more opportunities for future generations in her family. “TRIO really cares about their students,” Alcantar-Nava said. “They work hard to help us navigate the system of college. You definitely have to work a lot harder than if there were others who came before you, but that drives me. I think about the future and how I might be able to tell my daughter about all of the things I did.” Martinez-Rivera, an electrical engineering student, said her interest in engineering developed while working alongside her father, a painter in construction. Watching structural engineers collaborate with him inspired her to pursue the field herself. “I saw how much respect my dad had when people would seek him out to work with them,” Martinez-Rivera said. “I wanted that for myself. That sparked a curiosity in me and pushed me to follow my dreams. My dad always encouraged me to dream big.” Roman, a pre-biology student, moved from the Philippines to Grand Rapids shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. As she adjusted to a new country and education system, she said TRIO became an important source of guidance and encouragement. “I was just telling myself that you have to face your fears or you won’t know what could happen in your life,” Roman said. “TRIO really navigates these questions with you. If I was not with TRIO, college would have been very hard for me to navigate, especially as someone who had no idea how education works in the United States. Right now, I’d probably be working somewhere I don’t like. Instead, TRIO has helped me actualize my dreams.”   Reyes-Loredo, a 26-year-old first-generation student, completed her associate degree after a seven-year journey shaped by cancer, financial hardship and immigration challenges. As the oldest English-speaking child in her family, she often helped her parents navigate paperwork and financial systems while growing up in Grand Rapids. After surviving cancer in high school, she briefly attended nursing school in Barcelona, Spain, before returning to the United States and enrolling at GRCC. She later shifted her studies to business finance after witnessing the financial struggles many families face, including her own. Throughout her nontraditional college journey, Reyes-Loredo said TRIO provided support both academically and personally, especially during periods when she traveled frequently to Mexico to visit her husband. “If it wasn’t for all the extra things TRIO does, I don’t know if I would be where I am today,” Reyes-Loredo said. “It’s a small-knit community in TRIO. Even when I pushed them away sometimes, they were constantly there. They gave me a safe space to make mistakes and not feel judged.” In addition to accessible advising tailored to STEM fields, TRIO offers students dedicated study spaces, tutoring support and networking opportunities. Students said the environment allows them to feel understood by peers facing similar experiences. “You can be your full self around people who understand your situation,” Alcantar-Nava said. Pursuing Opportunities Beyond the Classroom   This summer, all four students will participate in competitive research opportunities. Alcantar-Nava and Martinez-Rivera were accepted into the Michigan College and University Partnership (MiCUP) a seven-week research program in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Both students initially hesitated to apply because of the distance and uncertainty about whether they were qualified. TRIO advisers encouraged them to pursue the opportunity anyway. “TRIO is a place where somebody can come in and have the freedom to be curious and to think about themselves in a way that maybe they haven’t had an opportunity to before,” Powers said. “We work to take the noise away from the tasks that are harder to navigate so students have the space to take chances on themselves.” Roman and Reyes-Loredo were accepted into the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, or UROP, at the University of Michigan this summer. Roman said a TRIO adviser encouraged her to apply before the extended deadline, despite her doubts about being selected. Reyes-Loredo will participate in research focused on the mental well-being of parents living in poverty.   Overcoming Barriers as First-Generation Students   The students said language barriers, financial strain and limited professional networks often make higher education more difficult for first-generation families to navigate. “Our parents didn’t always have the same opportunities,” Alcantar-Nava said. “It’s not a lack of intelligence. It’s a lack of resources and opportunities.” The students also discussed the challenges of being women in STEM fields, including imposter syndrome and underestimating their accomplishments. “I think a lot of women undermine their achievements,” Martinez-Rivera said. “You have to accept every accomplishment for what it is and recognize how far you’ve already come.” “We’re just as capable as anybody else,” Roman said. “We can bring innovation and creativity, as well as a voice for women who don’t have that voice.” Looking Ahead For each of these students, seeing their families make sacrifices to create new opportunities has remained a powerful source of motivation as they work toward their academic and career goals. They stressed the importance of embracing opportunities, speaking up for themselves and seeking mentors who can help them navigate the college system. TRIO became more than an academic support program for these students. It provided a sense of encouragement and belonging while giving them the confidence to envision opportunities beyond the barriers they faced. “I think any student who makes a choice to come to college as a first-generation college student is already displaying traits of strength, bravery and confidence,” Powers said. “We’re so proud of these four women. Each one has shown strong character, an incredible work ethic and so much ability. We’re honored to work with these students.” Roman hopes her journey can encourage other first-generation students to take chances on themselves. “Always take the opportunity given to you,” Roman said. “You never know where it can lead until you accept it.” Visit the TRIO programs web page to learn more about the various support services. This story was reported by Anjula Caldwell.

May 28, 2026 In our social media-curated world, it’s easy to believe that people who succeed in college do so effortlessly. They get great grades in high school. Their parents encourage and support them. They step immediately into college and float out after four years with a degree. Samuel Wright will tell you that this curated vision can be misleading and potentially harmful. Wright earned his associate degree at GRCC, then received a transfer scholarship to James Madison College at Michigan State University. He is currently poised to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. He also has a full ride scholarship to MSU’s College of Law beginning next year. Oh, and by the way…he is 45 years old, a former high school dropout, and has a record.  A Rough Beginning “I grew up in Newaygo County, which is a rural community,” Wright said. “My mom died when I was in third grade, leaving my dad at home with three kids. He struggled with his own grief and threw himself into his work. That impacted all of us kids.” Wright recalls that he changed schools six or seven times before 11th grade. He didn’t have a good relationship with his dad, and found himself either couch surfing with friends or staying with his grandparents. That trauma shaped the next several years of his life. “I got good grades in school but I never applied myself,” Wright said. “I did fine on the tests without doing the homework. If we had stayed anywhere long enough, the teachers would have caught on. But we kept moving, so no one got to know me very well. By the time I reached 11th grade, I couldn’t see the point. My dad quit school in 8th grade. My mom graduated from high school but that was it. Higher education was never discussed in our family; it was all about work. So I followed suit and started working odd jobs.” Wright admits that he was arrested multiple times in his late teens and early twenties. Somehow, he finally found a decent job and career path in telecommunications that didn’t require a college degree. That settled him down and he did very well for the next 20 years. “My wife and I lived in Seattle,” Wright said. “I had a lot of responsibility and a great income. We traveled the world and hung out with successful people. The problem was that I didn’t like what I was doing. I could make and spend money, but it was all just work.”   A Pivotal Move  After Wright and his wife adopted their daughter, they made some massive life changes, including a move back to Michigan. While his wife could work remotely, Wright realized it was time for him to change course. A billboard for Michigan Reconnect provided the catalyst for him to come back to school. Wright came to GRCC as a nontraditional student. He was in his 40s. He had a family. But he says that GRCC made it comfortable for him. “I am so thankful for my GRCC experience,” Wright said. “The advisors, the admissions people, the professors…everyone helped me. There was a huge financial value to attending GRCC, but I also felt fully prepared once I got to MSU. There’s no way I would have been accepted to MSU straight out of high school, much less have received a transfer scholarship!  At first, I felt a little bit of imposter syndrome there, but the work was not overwhelming. And I am one of only eight students in my class to graduate with a 4.0. That says a lot, not only about my work ethic, but about how GRCC prepared me to succeed.” Figuring out exactly what he wanted to do took a little bit of exploration. “I wanted to find something I was passionate about,” Wright said. “I started at GRCC with the goal of becoming a teacher. I wanted to be that person who impacted students like I had been. However, I discovered that I was on an elementary education path, and I wanted to teach older students. I briefly explored computer science but ruled that out. Then I came across International Relations and that flipped a switch.”  When Passion Meets Opportunity    Wright says he and his wife have visited more than 20 countries, and they always loved learning about other cultures. “Living in rural America is like living in a bubble,” Wright said. “You think about people outside your bubble as ‘other.’  You don’t imagine that they could have a wonderful life or not want to be Americans!  As we traveled, I saw people who had no money but great lives. That opened my eyes.” Now Wright hopes to combine that interest in other cultures with something related to immigration law or information governance. “The faculty at James Madison helped me find specific interests,” Wright said. “I did a lot of research into disinformation campaigns by foreign state actors, and how that impacts our democracy. There’s a huge incentive to push inflammatory content that polarizes society and drives us apart. Immigration is also an incendiary topic. I hope to have an impact in one or both of these areas.” As Wright prepares to enter law school this fall, he wants others like him to hear a very clear message. “Don’t let your past define you,” Wright said. “I made a lot of mistakes as a young person and put myself in bad positions. But I am not the same person I was then, and neither are you. I bet on myself, and I’m succeeding. There are millions of people who have ‘safe’ jobs they don’t love. Instead of chasing a dream, they stay rooted where they are. However, the reality is that nothing is ‘safe.’  You only have one life. Find something you are passionate about and go after it!” Visit the Michigan Reconnect web page to learn more about the program and other tuition support options at GRCC. This story was reported by Julie Hordyk.