对袁奕琪(音译)和她的父母来说，新立大学的学位意义重大. 作为第一代大学生, 袁在为未来的事业努力的同时，也让她的父母感到骄傲.
“我父母的教育水平在高中以下, 所以他们想让我上大学，追求更好的事业,高级服装说, 零售商品和设计专业. “It’s very significant to them because going to college and getting the education, 获得学位, 我想他们真的希望我有一个好的事业和美好的生活.”
元, who was born in China, moved to Fargo with her family about a decade ago. 选择NDSU意味着她可以和家人呆在一起. Specific resources also made NDSU stand out as the best choice for her higher education.
Being a recipient of the cultural diversity tuition waiver means 元’s tuition is fully covered. 另外, 元 was able to get a head start in preparing for college through TRIO Upward Bound in high school. 由NDSU主办的联邦资助项目, Upward Bound prepares income eligible and/or first-generation students with the resources they need to be successful in high school and post-secondary education.
该项目为学生提供导师, 辅导, 学院建议, 职业和大学访问和协助申请.
Starting at NDSU in the midst of the global pandemic in 2020 brought challenges for 元, such as navigating online learning and building connections with others during remote learning. 尽管那段时间, 袁说她得到了新大学术顾问的支持, 是谁确保她坚持正轨的, 以及TRIO学生支持服务, 为袁提供了成功所需的资源.
学生支持服务在学业上帮助学生, 经济上和个人上通过各种免费服务, 包括同伴指导, 辅导, 给予援助, 加强咨询和职业/研究生院的准备. 感兴趣的学生可在 三个网站.
“我认为这很有帮助，”袁说. “They also offer an English one-credit course that helped my English writing a little bit. 因为我是第二语言, 写论文和掌握完美的语法有点挑战性.”
元 decided to become a peer mentor with TRIO so she could pass on the advice she received to others.
“现在作为一名大四学生, I wanted to give out advice since I have experience over the pandemic and the online transition,”她说。. “我认为当学生来找我寻求帮助时，这对他们很有帮助.”
李维Tronnes, an education specialist-programming with TRIO who serves as 元’s peer mentor supervisor, 说她已经成为团队中宝贵的一员.
“Her ability to utilize her own experiences as a first-generation student at NDSU helps many students relate and connect with her. 这有助于她成为一名优秀的同伴导师, which allows her to help many of the first-year and new students that come to her for advice and help as she herself has been in those very same shoes,特隆内斯说. “I think her passion for helping others is another key element to her success as a peer mentor, 因为这是需要你回馈更大社区的工作. 为此目的, she is selfless and wanting to make a greater impact on the world around her and give back in a way that so many did for her once in her time of need.”
除了校园提供的资源, 袁说，新大社区一直非常欢迎.
“NDSU offers not only a variety of programs, but we really have a strong community bonding together. 我们有野牛精神，有橄榄球，有追尾. 人们都很友好，互相支持。.
校园受欢迎的部分原因是学生组织. 元 has been involved in the Asian Student Organization and the NDSU Chinese Students and Scholars Association. 这两个组织全年都会举办各种活动.
袁现任CSSA会长. 而当她担任主席时，俱乐部并不活跃, 元 has made it her priority to ensure students feel like they belong on campus.
“我第一次得到这个角色是在我大二的时候. 那是在新冠肺炎之后，所以俱乐部并不活跃. I wanted to take up the role and become active again so the students from cultural backgrounds and the same background would have a home, 并为他们提供安全的活动,”她说。. “我也希望他们能接受我们的文化，因为我们是一所多元化的学校. 我认为这非常重要.”
Some of the events the CSSA helps host include Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. 元 said she has seen an interest among students wanting to attend the events. 元 said her involvement with both organizations and her leadership position in the CSSA also has enhanced skills she will be able to use in the future.
“I think they really pushed me out of my comfort zone to take up the lead by leading the different events and practicing my public speaking skills because I was still nervous on giving presentations and that really helps me speaking out,”她说。. “It also enhanced my teamwork where we plan different events, festivals and cultural events.”
还有新大学生组织的热情氛围, 袁说，她在自己身上找到了一种同志情谊 学术项目. 新大的安·布拉顿(Ann Braaten)是袁的一位教授，她曾为她提供过建议 Emily P. 雷诺兹服装收藏在NDSU.
“她在我的大学之旅中帮助了我，”袁说. “在我大二的时候，我不确定是否应该继续我的专业. 我一开始学的是室内设计，后来我改主修服装. 所以，她只是在课堂上帮助我，给我建议.”
元’s passion has been noticeable to Braaten, who said 元 is a hardworking student in class.
“I have found Yiqi to be a disciplined individual with a wonderful sense of design,” Braaten said. 在去年秋天的服装产品设计课上, she repeatedly demonstrated her problem-solving ability by coming up with a diverse array of design solutions for the projects in class. 还有她漂亮的插图和描述, she brings the listener through her process to get them on board with her design solutions. It is a pleasure to work Yiqi because she is such a dedicated and talented student.”
Even though 元 switched majors, she said she still has support from peers in both programs.
“At this point I still have friends in the interior design program even though I’m not in the major. 我真的认为这种关系, 这对将来真的很有帮助, 太, because I kind of want to try different things with interior design and then apparel design. So, being able to have that connection can help me maybe in my future career 太,”她说。.
Some of 元’s favorite things about her program include classes in fashion trend forecasting and hands-on projects in her sewing class.
元, 谁想成为一名买家, 说到目前为止她在这个领域积累了很多经验. 一个亮点是作为学生设计师参加时装设计, Apparel and Business Organization's annual fashion show during sophomore year. 这个校内活动是由参与FABO的学生组织和发展的. 她计划今年再次参加时装秀, 将于4月24日在纪念联盟举行.
元 wants prospective first-generation students to know that anything is possible.
“My advice is if you have a willing heart, everything is possible,”她说。. “Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help if you need it. 我认为你会很成功的. 只要再往前走一步.”
