>>TIASIA: 0:00:04.259,0:00:07.034 Hi, I'm TiAsia and I'm a first-gen. [Music] 0:00:10.396,0:00:15.000 I was in a freshman psychology class and we had to write a research paper. 0:00:15.000,0:00:19.400 The instructor wanted us to bring our research papers and talk about the topic, 0:00:19.400,0:00:21.418 talk about any questions we had, 0:00:21.418,0:00:24.690 go over things with him and that was scary. 0:00:24.690,0:00:27.753 So I took a friend with me who also was in the same class. 0:00:27.753,0:00:30.492 We arrived at his office and the door's shut. 0:00:30.493,0:00:33.201 Instead of actually knocking on the door and going in, 0:00:33.201,0:00:36.508 we just slid our research papers under the door 0:00:36.508,0:00:38.723 and then took off running back to the elevator. 0:00:38.724,0:00:42.520 And, we're on the elevator and all of a sudden we hear Dr. Bendele 0:00:42.520,0:00:45.070 like running after us [dum dum dum] 0:00:45.071,0:00:47.614 and he shoves his arm at the elevator door. 0:00:47.614,0:00:51.760 So, of course the elevator door like opens up again and us two freshmen 0:00:51.760,0:00:57.160 are just standing there terrified, and he's like, "No, hey, I just want to help you! 0:00:57.160,0:01:01.039 Come and talk with the paper." So we follow him back to his office. He became 0:01:01.039,0:01:06.200 my faculty advisor, but in retrospect I realized Dr. Bendele did just truly want to help. 0:01:06.200,0:01:11.080 Any questions that I had, he wanted to be completely 100% available 0:01:11.080,0:01:14.718 and give me that one-on-one time, but as a freshman it was terrifying. 0:01:19.319,0:01:21.000 It was scary because none of 0:01:21.000,0:01:24.880 my family came to college, so I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or 0:01:24.880,0:01:30.680 where to go or who to reach out to. I was terrified a lot of the time. 0:01:30.680,0:01:37.159 I felt alone a lot of the time. And, it ended good by the time I got to 0:01:37.159,0:01:42.000 spring semester, I had those plugs. I was plugged into different student groups, 0:01:42.000,0:01:44.920 different resources in housing. I had my friend groups established. 0:01:47.292,0:01:52.079 I had a roommate in my dorm but she was very quiet and so I had to 0:01:52.079,0:01:56.129 make those relationships on my own. So just going out to any event. 0:01:56.129,0:02:01.079 Student housing had a lot of student events that I could go to. Sporting events I would go 0:02:01.079,0:02:06.000 to those, and just walking on campus trying to find other groups to be a part of. 0:02:06.000,0:02:10.640 If there was a line I would stand in it and would just see what's at the end of it. 0:02:10.640,0:02:15.561 It'd be food or a t-shirt or whatever, but I normally met a friend in that line. 0:02:15.561,0:02:19.877 A decade later I still have those connections that I made freshman year. 0:02:23.375,0:02:28.511 Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and just say yes. 0:02:28.511,0:02:33.680 Say yes if there's an event. Say yes if you can be a part of a committee. 0:02:33.680,0:02:38.680 Say yes if you can go on a student trip. Say yes if your friend's like, "Join this group 0:02:38.680,0:02:42.940 with me or go to TRIO event with me." Just say yes. 0:02:42.940,0:02:50.200 I got involved in different events, which eventually led me to my junior year 0:02:50.200,0:02:55.480 having dinner with the mayor where we got to discuss and give our opinions on 0:02:55.480,0:02:59.440 the development of Electric Works here in Fort Wayne. So that, my freshman year I 0:02:59.440,0:03:04.760 had no idea, that my junior year I would be having dinner with the mayor 0:03:04.760,0:03:07.134 and contributing to the development of Fort Wayne. 0:03:09.352,0:03:14.360 So I had a rough childhood, I was in the foster care system for many years. 0:03:14.360,0:03:19.760 Eventually I was adopted. Once I was adopted, I was in a lot of therapy, 0:03:19.760,0:03:25.200 anger management classes. Finally in high school my senior year I took a 0:03:25.200,0:03:30.439 psychology dual credit class and I loved the topics. I loved what I was 0:03:30.439,0:03:37.200 learning, and for me college was my only way out of my current circumstances. 0:03:37.200,0:03:41.120 That was the only future that I saw for myself and so I thought if I have to go 0:03:41.120,0:03:45.319 to college for anything I want it to be psychology. I wanted to be a child 0:03:45.319,0:03:49.519 psychologist eventually and help other children that had maybe the same or 0:03:49.519,0:03:52.307 similar circumstances that I had as a child. 0:03:54.944,0:03:59.280 I am a Collegiate Connection coordinator and an academic advisor for 0:03:59.280,0:04:04.519 dual credit students and so I help high school students who are wanting to earn 0:04:04.519,0:04:08.811 college and high school credits choose classes so that they can prepare 0:04:08.811,0:04:10.874 and work ahead in their university studies. 0:04:12.926,0:04:21.563 Always persevere. Always take the first step. And, reach out and try to find the resources that you need.