Alexi, C’19

Alexi, C’19 spoke of his experience as a first-generation, low-income student at an Ivy League institution. Though he at first felt his background was a hindrance, his peers in Penn First—the community of first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students on campus—helped him realize his upbringing gave him the traits needed to succeed at Penn and beyond.

“The past four years have been a consistent effort at understanding and taking pride in the strengths derived from my upbringing. At the same time, I was unlearning what I’ve internalized as my upbringing’s detriments. This process has really only been possible because of the support I’ve received from my FGLI peers. Building a community of peers through Penn First has been one of the most transformative experiences throughout my time at Penn.”