It’s graduation season at the University of Dallas, and among the 2025 graduating class is a substantial cohort of students who will accomplish this milestone not just for themselves but also for their families: They will be the first in their families to graduate college.
Statistically, only 27% of first-generation students in the United States graduate within four years, and only 50% graduate at all. But at the University of Dallas, first-generation students are far exceeding those national statistics. UDallas students who take advantage of scholarships and support for first-generation students are graduating at a rate of 74%, even exceeding graduation rates of their peers at the university. The key to their perseverance? The Academic Success Department’s First Generation Initiatives, led by director Matthew Spring, PhD ’15.
With the support of two dedicated staff members, Ana Babb-Henriquez, MS, BS ’20, and Judith Barrera, MEd, BA ’21, the department provides comprehensive programming with demonstrated outcomes for first-generation college students. Staff offer guidance and prepare students to become peer mentors, running small groups focused on career prep and connecting other students to resources on campus. Students also use the OptimalWork platform to increase their focus, time management and enthusiasm for their work.
The atmosphere created by the First Generation staff is motivating students academically and professionally — but it’s more than that.
“You always feel the love and caring of everyone from the academic success office. They’re always there to support you. Being part of the events and programs made me feel at home. They're always pushing you to keep going and encouraging you that you can do everything you have in mind,” says Saraih Mendoza ’25. Mendoza, who had planned on becoming an accountant, credits peer mentorship for directing her desire to help others into a new career path. She now plans to become a teacher.
Patricio Rodriguez ’25, born in Monterrey, Mexico, and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, recalls that several of his Spanish professors told him about the First Gen programs when he was struggling academically during his sophomore year. He met with Babb-Henriquez, who helped him organize his daily schedule and learn to prioritize.
“[The First Gen program has] given a lot of support to me and others who I know needed it,” Rodriguez explains. “Especially in those first years, it helps you find a place where you can settle or organize or take a break at times. It’s like a base. You can sit here, they’ll help you out, and then from there you can do your college journey in a much smoother way than you would have without it.”
This year, 34 students who will walk across the stage are recipients of the Constantin Scholarship, funded by the Constantin Foundation and awarded to students who not only will be the first in their families to graduate college but also have been willing to meet the participation requirements set for their success. Scholarship recipients participate in small groups, use OptimalWork program tools, attend events and meet with Academic Success staff members.
“The goals of these requirements are to encourage first-generation students (FGS) to make use of resources that are particular to their unique needs and challenges,” says Babb-Henriquez, “to engage them in our vibrant FGS community, to form them as potential mentors to other FGS and to help them develop relationships with staff members whose role is to support and cheer them on.”
These requirements don’t just feel like another set of responsibilities to these busy college students.
“The First Gen program has given me a community where I can connect with other students with the same background as me, who have had the same experiences and gone through the same challenges,” shares graduating senior Grecia Grajeda Guerra ’25. “Being part of the program has made me feel very supported academically and emotionally and also has given me the chance to embrace my identity and feel empowered as a first-gen student.”
Grajeda Guerra moved to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 12. A double major in business and Spanish, she has served this year as a Spanish tutor on campus.
One of the staff members empowering first-generation students is Judith Barrera, who has been coordinating the First Gen Initiatives since 2023. Leading small groups with determination and compassion, Barrera takes a survey each year, asking students which topics they want to see addressed, and she has expanded peer mentoring to include at least four events per semester on top of peer mentor coaching sessions.
The Academic Success Office isn’t the only source of support for first-generation students. Students also name their professors as some of their biggest advocates, and many add that one of their deciding factors in choosing UDallas was the small class sizes resulting in strong student-professor relationships.
Nadia Guerrero ’25, a biology major and pre-med student, describes the conferences she has been able to attend due to the care and attention of Assistant Professor of Biology Saadia Bihmidine, PhD. Guerrero appreciates that “she was willing to give me the opportunities that, once in her lifetime, she was able to receive.”
Guerrero says she wouldn’t be at UDallas if it weren’t for the Constantin Scholarship.
“It has really helped me, especially since college is so expensive. Without the opportunity to get that scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to pay for my college education,” Guerrero says. “But I do see how, even though it is an expensive education, UDallas is truly worth it: all the classes we take, the great relationships we’re able to form with the professors, and then the small class sizes. I’m really thankful for the scholarship because they’ve been able to invest in my education here at UDallas.”
Grajeda Guerra says her Spanish adviser, Christi Ivers, PhD, has been a major influence.
“You would never think that a professor at a university would make such an impact in your life, but UDallas is very different in the sense that it’s such a close community and you get to make bonds with your professors,” explains Grajeda Guerra. “I’m really grateful.”
The students of this first-generation cohort have big plans to use their University of Dallas education to make a difference in the world. Some are studying for master’s programs or medical school; others will give their time in service to programs including Teach for America, Jolt and the Army Corps of Engineers. Still others are preparing for careers in accounting, art and marketing. Across the board, they express an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the education and formation they have received at the University of Dallas.
“For my family, being at a university like UDallas with me being first gen gives a sense of pride,” shares Grajeda Guerra. “I’m overcoming barriers, and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the First Generation Program and the Constantin Scholarship giving me this opportunity.”
The first gen seniors have one final word for us: “¡Si, se pudo!” Yes, we did it!
The 2025 Constantin Scholars are:
Maya Adhikary
Abdias Alvarez Peralta
Juan Amezquita
Farah Atatrah
Deborah Ballinas
Mariana Castillo
Esmeralda Cavazos-Ayala
Kevin Chau
Yadira Compean
Sara Estrada Cruz
Rianna Evans
Maria “Stephanie” Flores
Victor Franco
Laura Gaitan
Nancy Galarza
Janicia Gonzalez
Grecia Grajeda Guerra
Nadia Guerrero
Consuelo Gutierrez
Annette Herrera
Sheila Lam
Arella Lopez Torres
Angel Lopez
Patricio Martinez Rodriguez
Kathleen McElroy
Areli Mejia
Saraih Mendoza
Bithiah Moreno
Gabrielle Nix
Briana Salinas
Nailea Silva
Daisy Torres
Fernando Vargas
Natalie Vega Ortiz
