The First-Gen Journey

A'Niya Thomas, the Coordinator of Scholar Experience at Pursue Scholars shares her journey as a former college student and being the first in her family to graduate. A'Niya graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Speech Communications in 2021. Being a recent graduate, A'Niya emphasizes the importance of reliability and connection with current scholars as they navigate their college journey.

"At the time HBCUs weren't getting as much traction as they are now it was like a taboo to go to an HBCU. But I am glad I made that decision because I could have easily ended up in Iowa or in the middle of nowhere in Illinois. I chose to go to Clark Atlanta because I knew everybody in my high school was going to Illinois State, Urbana, or any other Illinois school and there was nothing wrong with that. But I wanted to venture off and see if I would be able to make it outside of my family...," said Thomas.

To learn more about A'Niya's journey and her experience at an HBCU and how she's supporting the next generation of scholars, click the buttons below.