"I'm First" Blog

Since 2019, students from VCU have contributed to the "I'm First" blog, an initiative hosted online by the nonprofit organization, UStrive. Irelyn Rogan, who is also a You First peer mentor, is our current blogger for 2023-2024. We nominated Irelyn because of her passion for giving first-generation college students a voice and for her work empowering them to embrace their first-gen identity. Check back often for her insights about what it's like to be a first-generation college student.

Irelyn explains in her own words why she wanted to be a blogger for this site.

What inspired me to blog

I was inspired to blog because being first-gen makes me feel like an outcast at times, and I want to help students like myself recognize that being first-gen is normal–not “weird”–and something to be proud of rather than ashamed of. Many of my friends are not first generation; this easily makes me feel different and out of place. My parents both went to college for a short period of time but did not graduate. For some reason, I tend to feel guilt and embarrassment over this. 

Through being part of You First, I have learned to take the embarrassment and turn it into empowerment instead. I wanted to help students like myself recognize their worth, power, and how far they have come just by being here. Being a first-generation student is not something to be ashamed of, but something to put on your job application. It is a trophy to hold and a plaque that says, “I did it!”

I hope that my blog posts help other first-gen students around the world feel ambitious and powerful, because we can change the world.

About Irelyn

Blog Posts

How to Deal with Burn-out as a College Student (Feb 27, 2024)

POV: You are a First-Generation Student (Oct 26, 2023)

Past Bloggers