When I opened my acceptance letter from Stanford, I was returning by bus from an Oberlin College retreat. I was so overcome with joy that I screamed, startling the bus driver and other passengers. When they asked if I was OK, I cried. In that moment, I couldn't find the words to explain how important and affirming it was to be accepted to the Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies (POLS) program at Stanford.
I realized that I would need to leave my job, which contributed to the support of my family. I called my mom, afraid of what she would say, but all she could do was cry and remind me of how proud she was because I was a first-generation college student. So it was with great humility and anxiety that I decided to attend graduate school in California. And with the help of a Gates Millennium Scholarship, I was able to afford my education.
I’ve moved a lot in my life and lived in many areas of the United States: California, Washington, DC, Oregon, Hawaii and Ohio. Consequently, I attended five elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools.
Despite my ever-changing situation, my one constant was my love of learning. I could be motivated to learn and inspired to teach, anywhere!
When you’re first-gen, each step in your life is a milestone. With every trailblazing accomplishment, I’m bringing my community along with me. Now, I’m fortunate to continue my work as an educator at Oberlin College, where I am the director of the Multicultural Resource Center.
It gives me great joy to be the resource to students that I once needed when I was in college. It’s an incredible way to pay forward all of the love and generosity of my mentors, friends and family.
Antoinette Myers earned an MA in Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies in 2015. She is assistant dean of students and director of the Multicultural Resource Center at Oberlin College in Ohio.
