First generation: Meet Alejandra “Olly” Lopez

Lopez considers being first-gen a barrier and honor

By California State University, Bakersfield

November 27^th, 2019

Alejandra “Olly” Lopez Beltran considers being a first-generation graduate both “a barrier and an honor.”

Lopez was born and raised in the Central Valley, the product of hard-working parents. Her mother works at a mobile car wash in San Fernando and her father is a big rig driver.

Although Lopez’s parents didn’t know how to guide the next step of her education career, they encouraged her, after her high school mentors recommended the path of attending college.

Following the application process, Lopez was accepted into all four universities to which she applied.

Not familiar with college life at the time, and not quite ready to leave home, Lopez chose CSUB.

Coming in as a freshman, Lopez didn’t realize the challenges she would be up against, nor was she aware of the resources and opportunities available to her.

Lopez started her journey as an undeclared student at CSUB, and it wasn’t until her second year on campus that she took a general education course in public administration, and decided that was the path for her.

“Everything I loved about education was in that major,” she said.

Lopez began to find her voice as a first-generation student, allowing her to advocate on behalf of students like her.

“I can go back to my family now and show them that all of their support and investment has given me the strength to get this far. And it will change the generational progress for my family and our generations to come forever,” she said, adding that it is an honor to be first-generation, in spite of its challenges.

Lopez’s brother, now in college himself, often comes to her for help. Even though they aren’t at the same university, she’s able to assist him or offer advice, because she’s been there.

“It changes the opportunity that you can give to other people,” she said.

She has three younger nephews who also see the path she’s taken and consider it a “viable option.”

Being the first in her family to go to college, she never imagined that she’d be able to take her education to another country, but thanks to her advisers and mentors on campus, she took the leap and spent a year studying in Madrid, Spain.

“They ensured I was prepared, helped me understand how to fund my year, as well as made sure all the classes I took counted towards my major,” she said. “Although my classes all focused around my major, I learned so much about culture, diversity and how to be a good global citizen, and it truly changed my life for the better.”

Emily Callahan, director of Campus Programming, has been there nearly since the beginning of Lopez’s journey at CSUB. She has become a mentor, boss and adviser to Lopez over the last few years.

The two met the summer before Lopez’s sophomore year when she was invited to join the Sensational Sophomores Leadership program, due to her academic achievements as a freshman.

“She has worked for Campus Programming for the past four years and is now our graduate student leader,” Callahan said. “She has taken advantage of all that CSUB can offer while both developing personally and professionally.”

As president of the group, she helped prepare for CSUB’s first Alternative Spring Break project, which consisted of renovating two local youth community centers for the Kern Housing Authority.

Lopez was not only involved with the planning and organizing, but hands-on activities such as painting and setting up a college zone and computer lab for the students in those communities.

“In just one semester, I saw an unsure sophomore become a confident leader,” Callahan said.

Now when Lopez meets other first-generation students, she quickly identifies herself as one herself.

“It may be hard, but their dedication to their education is changing entirely what they may have been set up for otherwise. They’re the trouper in this, they’re the champion, and I applaud them for all of their efforts,” Lopez said of fellow first-generation students.

Currently, Lopez is in the masters of public administration program. After she graduates, she wants to pursue a career in education or community nonprofit work.

“Those are the fields that helped give me the opportunity to change my trajectory and I want to give myself back into those areas,” she said.

She attributes the university, its faculty and staff, to helping her throughout her college career.

“CSUB has been so supportive in giving me the resources and opportunities I need to grow,” Lopez said.

She went on to say that she is “a role model for so many students,” regularly speaking to freshmen in particular on how to make the best of their college career.

“I am beyond proud of the leader she is and look forward to her bright future,” Callahan said.

Lopez has been able to explore many endeavors on campus, including work experience, serving as a student representative and as a teaching assistant in her major.