I am the first person in my family who has not only earned a bachelor’s degree, but also a master’s degree. My childhood dream was to ‘make it big’ in life and because of that, my mother encouraged me to pursue a four-year degree.

Because I was the first person in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree, college was daunting my first semester. I didn’t know what to expect and everything seemed foreign in nature. Luckily, I had AMAZING advisors who helped me every step of the way. I attribute most of my success to them and my wonderful professors.

Because of my experience in college, I jumped at the opportunity to give back by applying to become a FirstGen GEP instructor. Two years in, and I have zero regrets.

I’ve developed relationships with many of my students and I take pride in knowing they feel comfortable asking me questions about how to achieve success not only in college, but in the working world.

Sean Barnhill
Director of Marketing, Strategic Communications and External Relations
College of Business