Honors nursing major Juana Guerrero came to 51视频 because she felt welcome.
鈥淥ut of all the schools I visited, UML was the one school that gave me the feeling of belonging,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t also made me feel that in this school, I will actually become a better version of myself.鈥�
Still, Guerrero was somewhat nervous about starting college. A member of the Honors College, she has never needed academic support, but she鈥檚 a first-generation college student who says she鈥檚 鈥渁 little shy.鈥� She thought she might need help with networking and with navigating college life.
So when she got an email about River Hawk Rising, a four-year support program run by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, she asked to join.聽
River Hawk Rising provides individual mentoring to diverse students who took part in college access programs such as GEAR UP, Upward Bound and TRIO at urban public and charter schools. Most are students of color and from low-income families. Nearly all are the first in their families to attend college.聽
River Hawk Rising also offers workshops to introduce students to key resources, from the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services (CLASS), which provides tutoring and advising, to the聽Career & Co-op Center.听听
It provided just the kind of support that Guerrero, a graduate of the Upward Bound program at Lawrence High School, needed.
鈥淔reshman year, they would bring certain people to talk to us, so I got to know them a little bit,鈥� she says. 鈥淎fterward, I felt more comfortable going to them and saying, 鈥業鈥檓 in River Hawk Rising, I saw your presentation and I鈥檓 interested in talking to you,鈥� like when I got help with my r茅sum茅 from the Career & Co-op Center.鈥�
River Hawk Rising provides more than practical help. Guerrero says it鈥檚 given her a diverse group of friends and a knowledgeable mentor she can turn to for advice, Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs Francine Coston.
鈥淎 lot of coming to college is struggling to find a group where you fit in, and I feel like River Hawk Rising has given me that,鈥� she says.聽
It鈥檚 also brought out her inner leader. She joined the Advocates of Tomorrow Living-Learning Community her first year, along with LASA, the Latin American Students Association, both sponsored by Multicultural Affairs.聽
Now she鈥檚 president of LASA. She鈥檚 also a tutor for聽Multicultural Affairs. In that role, she tutors and creates study guides for first-year health sciences students struggling with the required course in human anatomy and physiology.聽
Guerrero also serves as a summer orientation leader and has a weekend job in patient care at Lowell General Hospital. She鈥檚 working an extra day each week during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She enjoys being part of the聽Honors College, especially taking the small, interdisciplinary seminars like A Call to Adventure, a film and literature course on the hero鈥檚 journey taught by Honors Visiting Prof. Julian Zabalbeascoa.
The personal attention in both programs has helped Guerrero to become more confident and proactive in searching for the resources she needs to achieve her goals. She plans to become a neonatal nurse.
鈥淚t鈥檚 helped me to become more of a person who seeks out help when she needs it, instead of being quiet and unsure what to do,鈥� she says.