First in the family

The road to college can be long and rocky for some students, as money trouble and social problems can make the chance of attending college a rough go. And for some, the pressure of being the first college graduate in the family can be a burden on its own.\nMichael Wilkerson, special assistant for the office of the vice president for institutional development and student affairs, said Indiana has historically been a state where 18-year-olds were more likely to look for a job than attend college. But over the years, colleges around the state have seen a rise in enrollment, he said.\nThe increase in first-generation college students means more parents who have never been to college are now sending their children down a road they have never been before.\nSteve Miller, a junior from Greensburg, Ind., is the first member in his family to attend college. When asked what he wants to do after he graduates, the psychology major simply leans back and says, "frame a diploma." But Miller said he is looking forward to surpassing even his own expectations by attending graduate school. \nMiller didn't always feel passionately about school. His sophomore year in high school he said he was more concerned with partying, doing drugs and drinking.\n"I want to prove to myself that I can (graduate)," Miller said. \nMiller said his parents were very young when he was born, and neither had the financial means to go to school. During Miller's senior year in high school the thought of begin stuck in Greensburg was enough inspiration to go to college.\n"I realized that you got to get somewhere in life, you can't just drift by," Miller said. \nDuring Miller's first year of college, he attended IUPU-Columbus where he said his life took a 180-degree turn. He went from barely graduating high school to earning a 3.4 grade point average.\nBut Miller's parents didn't back him up on his decision to go to college. He is paying his tuition with loans and by working at a group home for schizophrenics. Miller said he doesn't mind paying though, as he believes it makes him work harder and helps him to realize the kind of person he really is.\nWilkerson said one of the biggest reasons students drop out is because of debt. As tuition goes up and financial aid drops, most first generation students don't have their parents' financial and emotional support, he said.\n"College is like going into an alien world, culturally, and you don't have anyone with experience to help you out, back you up and show you how it's done," Wilkerson said.\nWilkerson added having support from your family is very important when trying to succeed.\nLike Miller, sophomore Brandy Tolley also grew up in a small town and came from a family where no one had ever been to college. But unlike Miller's parents, the Tolley's were determined for her to go to college. They wanted both Tolley and her younger brother to get the opportunities they never had.\n"I totally have respect for (my parents) because they worked hard to get where they are today," Tolley said. "My parents push hard for good grades because they knew I could do it."\nBut not far into high school, Tolley developed a drug habit. Although she still excelled at sports and school, her chances of making it to college started to fade. \nDuring her junior year, Tolley's mom recognized her problem and took her daughter to the juvenile detention center. Just like a real prisoner, Tolley had to get in the orange jump suit and spend the night.\n"I was so bored I counted the blocks on the wall," said Tolley. \nIt didn't take Tolley long to realize how she did not want her life to end up. Now, pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer, Tolley tries to view college and law school as a challenge she can easily overcome. \n"I work hard," she said. "I don't want to let (my parents down) because they have done so much for me," she said. \nIU has tried to respond to the needs of first generation students by creating facilities like culture centers to help orient new students, but Wilkerson said the University still has a lot more to do. \n"First generation does transcend. It crosses race lines. It crosses rural lines and urban lines," Wilkerson said.\nToday, both Tolley and Miller are just like any average college students working towards their futures. But neither of them will forget what it took for them to get where they are today. \n"I love going to school," Miller said. "I'll continue going for as long as I can."\n-- Contact staff writer Amy Barnicle at abarnicl@indiana.edu.