Pursuing a college education was not a big priority in Yaridma Tejada鈥檚 home when she was a youngster.
She said her immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic 鈥� her mom a high school graduate and her dad, who completed third grade 鈥� 鈥渘ever helped me with my homework assignments or seemed to enjoy reading or learning themselves.鈥�
But during her high school years, she said, a program that encourages low-income children to attend college ignited an educational spark in her. That is when she decided she wanted to become the first in her family to go to college and learn about social work so she could combat social injustices in today鈥檚 world.
鈥淏eing in the Upward Bound program in high school, I met people who were struggling with problems I knew existed in other people鈥檚 lives, but I did not expect to be happening to my peers,鈥� said the 22-year-old 麻豆原创 senior who has lived in Orlando since she was 5.
鈥淭his really opened my eyes and it made me realize that I鈥檇 like to help people have their needs met. These past couple of years, there have been a lot of social-justice movements and issues that have been getting time in the spotlight and I love seeing people get together to advocate for a cause. It has also made me more aware of the micro aggressions, discrimination and limitations placed on minorities.鈥�
Soon after Tejada told her college plans to her parents 鈥� a public school 鈥渃afeteria lady鈥� and a restaurant cook in south Orlando 鈥� the news seemed to also ignite an educational spark in them, too.
鈥淢y mother would take me to as many Upward Bound events and workshops as she could,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce I started going to college, my father would brag to his coworkers and friends about how his first-born is studying hard and would graduate with a college degree.鈥�
At first she said she had no examples or knowledge about college.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what a college campus looked like, what college life was like, how to apply for college, what a scholarship, grant and loan were, and so many other things about college,鈥� she said. But the Upward Bound workshops and out-of-state conferences opened her eyes to what would be possible at 麻豆原创.
Tejada next earned her AA at Valencia College and used the DirectConnect to 麻豆原创 program to transition to the university. The program guarantees admission to 麻豆原创 with an associate degree from one of the university鈥檚 partner state colleges.
She said she chose 麻豆原创 because she wanted to stay close to home and help her family. She lives with her mother and two sisters, one of whom is a high-functioning autistic 20-year-old with ADHD.
鈥淢y mother works two jobs, so there鈥檚 really no time for her to relax and take care of things in the household or my youngest sister,鈥� Tejada said.
She also works as a student assistant in the campus TRiO office, which helps prepare low-income/potential first-generation college students for successful entry and retention in post-secondary education. One of her responsibilities is providing campus tours for TRiO programs that visit from other colleges and universities.
鈥淪he does a fantastic job shepherding the groups across campus,鈥� said Rebekah McCloud, director of the TRiO programs in Student Development and Enrollment Services. 鈥漇he deftly intersperses her story as a first-generation college student into the narrative about 麻豆原创. She generously shares what she didn鈥檛 know about going to college, what she learned and what she wished she had known.鈥�
Working in the office, Tejada said, has helped build her confidence to talk to people and gain skills in time management, social engagement, business, networking, public speaking and presentation.
Also during her time on campus she has become a LEAD scholar, 麻豆原创 Cares ambassador, a member of the Bachelors of Social Work Student Association, and has participated in Volunteer 麻豆原创 opportunities and events.
In addition to all her on-campus activities, she is interning with the Orlando Youth Advocate Program Inc., which provides children the opportunity to develop and be of value to their community. The program connects youths with caring adults and provides opportunities for them to assume leadership roles and learn healthy behaviors.
鈥淲e hold activities for children in the program that help them understand that there are other ways we can react to a stressful situations and how to be able to avoid conflict,鈥� she said.
Despite all her many activities, she said she鈥檚 鈥渘ot as involved as I would have liked to be, but I feel that I have done the most that I could with the time and energy that I had.鈥�
She now plans to graduate this spring with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work.
After graduation she plans to work in the social-work field for three to five years to gain experience and then pursue a master鈥檚 degree once she knows what specialization she would like to focus on.
鈥淪he has blossomed into a very capable young woman,鈥� said McCloud in the TRiO office. 鈥淪he聽is always a helper, always a listener, and now she is ready to step into a career as a social worker. She is bound to make a difference in the world.鈥�