WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:01.839 --> 00:00:04.130 As a first-generation college student myself, 00:00:04.130 --> 00:00:06.390 the whole college process was kind of foreign to me. 00:00:06.390 --> 00:00:07.470 What do I do? 00:00:07.470 --> 00:00:08.930 What is the next step for me? 00:00:08.930 --> 00:00:11.100 How do I get through this? 00:00:11.100 --> 00:00:14.400 From the college search to figuring out financial aid, the 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:17.700 college application process is so complex. 00:00:18.940 --> 00:00:22.740 School counselors are dealing with so much in the school and may not have the time to 00:00:22.750 --> 00:00:26.230 meet with students about college aspirations and goals. 00:00:26.230 --> 00:00:29.040 So we're there to sort of knock down those barriers. 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:31.780 The Virginia College Advising Corps, which 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:35.600 is an AmeriCorps program, started at UVA in 2005. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:40.320 We are a public service program, and that public service is in the DNA of UVA. 00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:43.700 Now it's a national program called the College Advising Corps. 00:00:43.700 --> 00:00:47.790 Our mission is to assist low income, first generation, and under-represented students 00:00:47.790 --> 00:00:52.020 in all regions of the Commonwealth to enter and complete higher education. 00:00:52.020 --> 00:00:56.110 Two year colleges, four year colleges, certificate programs, trade schools. 00:00:56.110 --> 00:00:57.320 We'll look at things like size. 00:00:57.320 --> 00:00:59.500 Does a student want a big school or a small school? 00:00:59.500 --> 00:01:01.730 Location-- do they want to be in a city or in a rural area? 00:01:01.730 --> 00:01:03.629 We'll look at private versus public. 00:01:03.629 --> 00:01:08.149 When I'm talking to students, you get to hear, like, my dream is to be a doctor, or my dream 00:01:08.149 --> 00:01:09.549 is to be a teacher. 00:01:09.549 --> 00:01:12.720 If you are interested in science, then do something in science. 00:01:12.720 --> 00:01:17.079 If you are interested in math, if you're interested in social work-- let's be realistic about 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:21.619 what exactly do we want from ourselves so we can actually make those proper steps. 00:01:21.620 --> 00:01:24.300 For many students, college doesn’t seem like a 00:01:24.300 --> 00:01:27.020 reality until they meet with a college adviser. 00:01:27.020 --> 00:01:31.770 We are committed to the idea that every student, regardless of their financial situation regardless 00:01:31.770 --> 00:01:35.440 of who they are, should have access to higher education. 00:01:36.440 --> 00:01:40.099 Many of our advisers were low income, first generation themselves. 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:42.719 As a first generation student, I didn't know anything. 00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:47.200 Now, as a college adviser, I'm here with all these students in a similar scenario, I can answer 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.979 those questions to help them get to where they need to go. 00:01:49.979 --> 00:01:54.939 The college adviser role is not just about the nuts and bolts of the process. 00:01:54.939 --> 00:02:00.429 Their energy and support helps to unlock the potential of every student to continue in 00:02:00.429 --> 00:02:03.079 their educational journey. 00:02:03.080 --> 00:02:04.780 Education is one of those things that once 00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:06.899 you have it, no one can take it away from you. 00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:10.319 And I think for students who maybe don't believe in themselves, that's a game changer. 00:02:10.320 --> 00:02:15.380 So to be able to walk alongside students as they realize that is why I love this organization. 00:02:15.380 --> 00:02:17.380 [MUSIC PLAYING] 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:25.400 I love every piece of the job, and I love 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:29.840 seeing those students, you know, get that level of success, getting that diploma, and 00:02:29.940 --> 00:02:32.580 just seeing how great they're going to be. 00:02:32.580 --> 00:02:34.460 [MUSIC PLAYING]