As a first-generation college student, Angelica Godinez wanted to avoid getting lost in the crowd.
So, when applying to college, she sought out a school that was community oriented. San José State University (SJSU) fit that vision — as did joining the institution’s ASPIRE and McNair Scholars
programs, which assist first-generation and low-income students throughout their academic journey and provide information about graduate school.
“I think because of the fact that I gravitated towards community-based organizations, I felt supported within the larger network,” says Godinez, a vision science Ph.D. student at the University of California, Berkeley.
Throughout her studies, she was drawn to the area of psychology.
In one course, Godinez’s professor provided students with a list of 20 true or false statements. For example, “it is common sense to look both ways before crossing the street.”
To her, the answer seemed simple. In the end however, those who answered true to any of the presented statements were incorrect.
