Support to Success

Transcript

Let’s head over to the new Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering where we’ll meet class of 2019 graduate, Jasmine. Jasmine is a first-generation college graduate who enrolled at URI, not knowing what was to come. That’s common for so many students entering college. In fact, one in every three entering students at URI, aren’t quite sure what they will major in. Students at URI are supported in making big decisions and are given the autonomy to try new things. Let’s hear more about Jasmine’s story.

– Thanks, Alex. Hi, everyone. As a 2019 alumna of the University of Rhode Island, I wanna share my URI story with you as it may not be exactly what you would expect. My dream was to work in the fashion or cosmetic industry. I entered URI double majoring in chemical engineering and French. When I arrived to URI as a first-generation Latina student in the engineering field, I had significant imposter syndrome. This caused quite the struggle because I faced years of attempting to succeed in a major that I wasn’t sure I was truly passionate about. I joined an organization called DRIVE, which stands for Diversifying, Recruiting, Inspiring, Volunteering, and Educating, which helped create a community that I could lean on. And I learned how to utilize resources that my professors provided for classroom work that I needed. I took a material science and engineering course with professor Otto Gregory that I realized I could combine both my academic interests with my personal dreams. The material science class opened my eyes to find metalwork and ended up changing the course of my life. Professor Gregory provided me the opportunity to work with tempered glass. And then eventually, I learned about the casting and metal shaping process. Academic support wasn’t the only support that I needed at my time here at URI. Attending a predominantly white institution as a student of color had its own challenges that I needed to navigate. One of the first ways that I found support was attending the multicultural overnight program during my college search process. I met my two best friends in the program. They understood the pressures of being a first-generation student and empathized with me during my college career. Finding others who share similar experiences through organizations like DRIVE make all the difference. I never imagined that I’d be able to combine my engineering degree with my passion for luxury fashion, but I was able to do this because of the exposure to challenge and coursework, and the support that I received from university faculty and staff. My advice to you, take advantage of the support and resources offered by this incredible community because it will help you achieve your dreams. Back to you, Alex.

– Thanks, Jasmine. Your story really has come full circle. The URI support services, mentors, and organizations you were involved with helped you to achieve your dreams, working in luxury fashion. Your journey is just beginning. And we can’t wait to see your future success. Bye, Jasmine.