Issue link: http://tcnj.uberflip.com/i/1492410
20 The College of New Jersey Magazine When Jean Carlos Moreno '26 started at TCNJ in the fall, he found a mentor and fast friend in Kiara Fernandez '24. Like Moreno, Fernandez was from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and had an interest in urban education. Both are first generation students — pioneers in their families — forging a pathway from college admission to graduation. And both know how overwhelming it can feel stepping into this unfamiliar world. "Being first generation, it is easy to feel like you're learning everything on your own," says Moreno, whose parents are from Mexico and Peru and are unable to offer him much guidance regarding the U.S. college experience. Moreno feels lucky he's able to lean on Fernandez, a junior majoring in English and urban secondary education, who has helped him with things like scheduling classes and alerting him to campus resources. She often texts him just to check in. "It is nice to have a close connection — someone who is pursuing the same career path and who understands what I'm going through," says Moreno. Fernandez is happy she can help Moreno find his footing. She remembers her path to college and the conflicting emotions she felt. Her parents, who immigrated to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic, encouraged her to go to college and celebrated her many accomplishments along the way. Fernandez applied to 10 colleges, figuring out the endless requirements on her own, and was accepted to all of them. But once she landed at TCNJ, she realized she wasn't sure what came next. Like many first generation students, the goal her family had set was to get into college, with little talk or plan of how to actually get through the next four years and into her chosen career. "I felt 100% lost," says Fernandez about understanding the nuances of financial aid, choosing her first-year classes, and networking within her field. "College offers opportunities and experiences my parents never had," she says. "I'm afraid of messing up. I carry a world of dreams on my shoulders — my mom's, my dad's, and my own." "I carry a world of dreams on my shoulders — my mom's, my dad's, and my own." — Kiara Fernandez '24