Forensic Science Major: ‘Being a First-Generation Student Means a Lot to Me’

For Julia Clara Ferreira, 27岁, the Fall semester has been an exciting time. She started her first semester of college and accepted her first scholarship – and she is the first member of her family to accomplish either.

作为康涅狄格州丹伯里的一名高中生., Ferreira imagined herself pursuing a career in a science-related field. The daughter of immigrants who came to the United States from Brazil, 她打算接受高等教育. That meant exploring opportunities that members of her family hadn’t yet seen, 她很高兴成为第一个.

“Being a first-generation student means a lot to me,”她说。. “我为此感到非常自豪. I feel like my parents are very happy for me to go to college, since they’ve never experienced that. They finished their high school educations in the U.S., but they never had the opportunity to go to college. So, I feel like I’m living out their dream for them, which makes me really happy.”

While in high school, Ferreira was a participant in the ConnCAP program, which serves Danbury High School students in families in which neither parent has completed a four-year college degree. The program offered her support with her college applications, FAFSA, and with crafting her resume. 当她大四的时候, one of the staff members also mentioned an opportunity to apply for a scholarship. 费雷拉很感兴趣，于是申请了.

Ferreira recalls she was leaving work when she noticed she’d received a voicemail. Initially, she says she was afraid it was a message telling her she didn’t receive the scholarship. Instead, she received a message of congratulations.

“我完全震惊了!”她说。. 我告诉了妈妈，她哭了起来. It was also the first scholarship I received, and I was extremely happy, extremely grateful. 这意味着很多. It was extremely special because the actual award was for children of immigrants, 这感觉很有意义.”

“让我的父母感到骄傲”

费雷拉接受了美国大学的奖学金 新美国梦基金会, a nonprofit based in Danbury, at a recent ceremony. She’s one of only three students in the state to receive one.

In addition to learning about college and scholarships as a high school student, Ferreira also was introduced to the field of 法医科学 as a possible career path. She describes herself as a kid who always enjoyed mystery books and documentaries, and it was through one of those films that she was first exposed to 法医科学. Captivated, she began to research the field, and she took her first 法医科学 classes.

“When I learned about 法医科学, it sparked for me,” she explains. “这太有趣了.”

费雷拉现在正沉浸在她身上 法医科学 classes at the University – and in life as a college student. 她已经加入了大学 法医学学生协会, and she’s eager to continue to get involved in the Charger community. She’s excited to be a trailblazer in her family and to take advantage of every opportunity that she has as a first-generation student.

“My main goal is to make my parents proud,”她说。. “I want to get good grades and I want to have a good college experience. I already have a good support group that I’m grateful for. 我也想结识朋友，加入俱乐部. I didn’t do that in high school, and I’m excited to do that now.”