Episode 55: Building a Community of Support

Aug 7

Written By HTC

In this episode, Luz chats with fellow first generation college students about what their experience has been like with establishing, building, and maintaining their communities of support. We chat about what key elements make up their communities and tips to help fellow first-gens with their own.

In this episode you will hear from:

High school student Shree who explains how she has begun building her support community from early on in her high school journey. She explains that the key components to maintaining strong personal connections are communication and trust. She advises students who want to begin developing their own communities to start small with students you interact with regularly and those that share similar interests, values, and passions and grow from there.
College student Mason whose community has evolved since high school as he’s figuring out who he is, where he belongs, and what his interests and aspirations are. He has learned that authenticity, knowing your self-worth, and active listening have helped him develop connections on a deeper level that have augmented his support community.
College graduate Josh who found his community through unconventional routes after trying to connect with students on his campus via traditional approaches. He built the community he was looking for at his school by going beyond his campus and making sure to leave the legacy behind for fellow first-gens coming up behind him. Josh also discusses the importance of carving time out to develop those personal relationships with people so they can become part of your community of support.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode: