2021 Commencement: Jonathan Diaz-Ramos '21 & Vanessa Guzman '21

Vanessa Guzman ’21 and Jonathan Diaz-Ramos ’21 came to W&M with the unique challenges most first-generation students face – a lack of knowledge and guidance about the college experience along with worries about fitting in on campus that can induce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

But Vanessa and Jonathan set out to change that. Together, they founded William & Mary’s First-Generation, Low Income (FGLI) support group, a network and resource hub to help students develop strategies to deal with the anxiety of being a first-generation student. Now, the FGLI community boasts more than 100 students who support and inspire each other every day.