Diana Magaña is a first-generation Ph.D. student in the Department of Education at UC Santa Barbara. Diana received a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Education Sciences from UC Irvine and an M.A. in Sociology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests largely revolve around the postsecondary experiences of first-generation college students, with a specific focus on how systems of support, whether they be social or institutional, influence the experiences of first-generation Latina/o/x students.
Advice
One piece of advice she would give the UCSB first-gen community is to get involved and build a community for themselves! College can sometimes feel isolating and connecting with others and building a community ensures you always have people to rely on when things get tough and also people to celebrate with when you accomplish great achievements!
What makes you proud to be a First-Gen college student?
She is immensely proud that as a first-gen grad student she can be a resource and a guide for fellow first-gen scholars navigating the higher education pipeline.