Scott Winton is Our Man in Guatemala.

Born and raised in the Ozarks, Scott was the first in his family to graduate from college – a first generation college student (first-gen). His father worked as a delivery route salesperson and his mom ran an in-home daycare, and neither graduated from college, nor did their parents. Scott graduated from High School, and then attended Missouri State University (MSU) from 2000 until 2003 before transferring to the University of Missouri (but we don’t hold that against him).

His college years were tough though. Those college years consisted of working long hours to make ends meet while attending college. He burned the midnight oil studying for exams, attended class in the morning, and worked in the evening. Extracurricular activities were a luxury he rarely could afford. His summer breaks were meant for income, not for career advancing internships. Many MSU students have similar experiences.

After working long hours and completing his undergraduate degree over five years, opportunity did come knocking. Thanks to the U.S. Department of State’s Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellowship Program, Scott’s graduate school tuition at Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program, room and board, and books were fully covered. He joined the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service in 2009, and Scott has since served in Macedonia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Washington. Scott shared his experience with us on October 4, 2018 during the Hometown Diplomats Program.

Scott has advice for first-gens:

“Know that you are not alone. Look to MSU’s immense resources easily available on campus to get you through your college years. This not only includes the Office of Student Finance Aid, but also services provided at the Writing Center, Career Center, and First Generation Student Support. Also, look for opportunities with TRIO Support Services, which assist qualified first-gens with attending and graduating from college. I am an alum of TRIO’s McNair Scholars Program.

Also, communicate! Talk to your professors about the challenges you may be going through as a first-gen, such as working to pay the bills and attending studies before or after long work-hours. Your professors likely will work with you, but be sure to fulfill your commitments to them. Lastly, seek out mentorship from professors, faculty, and graduate students to help guide you through college and on a path to a successful career. I continue to rely on mentors to guide me in my career, so start now, and realize the benefits of mentorship early on.”