From the president
Angeleena Gracious Marshal, is a first-year student at Simmons University, dedicated to supporting first-generation college students. Angeleena is an emerging leader on campus and is motivated by her experiences as an immigrant and first-generation college student. At Simmons, Angeleena is enrolled in the honors program and involved in the Honors Service Partnership Steering Committee, a group of honors students building community through service. In high school, she was involved with Chicas, an afterschool program providing mentorship and leadership workshops to young women. As a Newman Fellow, Angeleena will draw from her experiences navigating the college experience as an immigrant and first-generation college student by creating a support network for first-generation students at Simmons.
Personal Statement
As a Newman Civic Fellow, I am excited to make an impact on my community. As an immigrant and first-generation student with experience navigating the challenges of adapting to an unfamiliar educational system, struggling to access resources, understanding complex processes, and finding mentorship. I know firsthand the isolation and uncertainty that can accompany this path. These experiences have deeply shaped my passion for advocating on behalf of immigrant and first-generation students, ensuring they have the guidance, support, and opportunities needed to thrive and not merely survive. My journey has deeply informed my experience and goals. Three years ago, when my family arrived in the United States, we carried nothing but dreams in our hearts and the strength of having one another. From the very beginning, the journey was an uphill battle, filled with unseen challenges that tested each of us in different ways. I experienced overwhelming bouts of homesickness, heightened by the realization at school that "home" was defined not as where I now lived but as the place I had left behind. Those words made me feel displaced, as though I didn’t truly belong. During this fellowship, I will work to help my peers through these obstacles based on the belief that no student should have to face these challenges alone and that every dream, no matter the person who dreams it, deserves the opportunity to thrive.