Kevin McVay
Staff — Dean's Office & Advising Administration
PLEASE SHARE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR FIRST-GENERATION STORY, OR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
I was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States when I was a child. I have a large maternal family as my mother was one of fourteen children and grew up in Las Vegas in a large household. Unfortunately, my father suffered from an illness when I was young so I was raised as a first-generation student, but my mother always believed in me and I was the first in my immediate family to graduate with my undergraduate and graduate degrees.
HOW HAS IDENTIFYING AS FIRST-GENERATION IMPACTED YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE OR CURRENT PROFESSION?
I think being first-generation is a powerful experience. A lot of folks might first see it as a disadvantage, but because we are the first to pursue new opportunities, we develop a lot of grit and determination to accomplish our goals. I think a big aspect of being first-generation is being able to ask questions, teach others with empathy, and share resources with one another.
PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR TOP THREE PIECES OF ADVICE FOR CURRENT FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS AT UNLV?
- Never stop pursuing opportunities you're interested in.
- Failure is the building block of success, so fail hard and succeed harder.
- Learning from others and teaching others are harmonious pursuits.