FIRST-GENERATION STORIES

Welcome to OCBC’s new quarterly human-interest series, “Making a Difference.” This inaugural column—marking National First-generation College Student Day on November 8—features the heads of three Orange County universities who are first-generation college graduates: President Michael Thomas of Concordia University Irvine, Chancellor Howard Gillman of UCI and President Fram Virjee of Cal State Fullerton. Tasks such as choosing a major and balancing family and studying can be overwhelming for students whose parents didn’t earn a college degree. But the same grit and perseverance that helps these students to cross the finish line to earn their degree is the same grit and perseverance that they bring to the workplace.