Inspiration: Have You Ever Been the First?

(My video of Dr. Mae Jemison speaking to freshmen at the University of Alabama in Huntsville on August 15, 2021)

Have you ever been the first person in your family to do something? Maybe the first person in your group of friends or in your community to try something?

Many of our students are the Firsts (I believe it deserves to be capitalized):

• First to earn their high school diploma or a GED

• First to attend a university or college

• First to move away from home to pursue their education

• First to graduate with a four-year or two-year degree

• First to pursue a certificate program

Being a First can be intimidating! Feeling intimidated can lead to discouragement, and discouragement can lead to student attrition.

I, myself, am the First person in my family to earn a bachelor's degree and will be the first to complete a graduate degree. While I didn't quit, I did face challenges I'd never seen anyone around me deal with (like, How do I fit in on a college campus? Should I drop a class or stick with it? What will I do with this degree after I graduate? Should I feel guilty about my student loans?), and I did question whether I was on the right path, and whether I had "the right stuff" to ultimately succeed.

Since we are in Huntsville, Alabama -- nicknamed the "Rocket City" due to our proud connection to space history and to the future of space exploration -- I can't help but look to space pioneers when I think about our students, especially our non-traditional (I prefer the term "post-traditional") students.

Dr. Mae Jemison, who was born in Decatur, Alabama, was the first Black woman to journey to space. One of her only astronaut role models/the only person who looked like her while following a similar path -- at that time -- was a fictional character: Lieutenant Nyota Uhura on Star Trek in the 1960s. It was an honor as well as inspirational to hear one of my personal heroes -- Dr. Jemison -- speak.

If no one you knew (in real life) had accomplished what you dreamed of doing, would you find the courage and persistence within yourself to keep going, anyway?

I'm sure plenty of our students struggle with maintaining their own Don't Give Up spirit. We must give them the resources and the mentorships they need to succeed.