UFirst mentoring program empowers first-gen college students

For many students, entering college is simply the next chapter in a family legacy filled with collegiate stories and advice. But for first-generation students, it represents uncharted territory.

There are no family tales of dorm life, no inherited wisdom about managing coursework, and no tips on navigating internships. Because of this lack of foundation, every college milestone — from entrance exams and essays to adjusting to campus life and selecting a major — can feel intimidating.

Across Rutgers Business School (RBS), 27% of students are first-generation, encountering these hurdles without the roadmap their peers might take for granted. To bridge this gap, the UFirst Mentoring program was established, connecting first-generation students with professionals who were also first in their family to attend college. 

Since its launch in spring 2022, the program has quickly gained traction, with enrollment numbers doubling annually. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the program has 75 students enrolled and a significant waitlist.

Among the students benefitting from the program is RBS-Newark junior Demir Tetik. Growing up in a family of blue-collar workers from Turkey and Mexico, he felt lost during the college enrollment process. 

“Even though college was talked about a lot, no one went into the nitty-gritty,” Tetik said. “Nobody told me what I should focus on, what I should not.”

Arriving at Rutgers with no specific major in mind — just the desire to pursue a career that involved helping others — Tetik was overwhelmed, having no previous exposure to a college environment. When he received an invitation to join the UFirst program, he eagerly accepted.

Tetik was matched with Gary Horowitz, a seasoned tax professional at EY and first-gen Rutgers graduate. Horowitz immediately empathized with Tetik’s situation. 

“Moving from high school to college, where you must be much more independent, can be challenging,” Horowitz said. “This mentorship program is invaluable because it offers the chance to learn from others' experiences — understanding their pitfalls and how they dealt with them is helpful.”

Meeting several times over two semesters via Zoom and in person, Horowitz offered Tetik practical advice on navigating corporate environments and mastering the art of networking — discussions Tetik could never have with his parents. He also helped the RBS accounting student secure an internship at KPMG. 

Horowitz was introduced to the UFirst program by one of its founders, Hannah Salto — a first-gen graduate who now serves as assistant dean of support, engagement, and leadership at RBS. 

“In my experience, first-generation students are wonderful mentees because they are hungry for knowledge and connection,” Salto said. “They are a highly engaged and driven population of students who work hard to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to them.” 

This description fits Caety Pineda and her mentor, Nadine Burgos, perfectly.

Growing up in a household where English wasn’t spoken — her parents hail from Argentina and Paraguay — Burgos learned to be self-sufficient early on. She mastered tasks like doing taxes long before she decided to major in accounting at RBS. 

Burgos, who now works for Deloitte as an audit and assurance senior, noticed that many of the first-gen students she mentors struggle with imposter syndrome. These students see their peers coming from backgrounds vastly different from their own, creating a lot of self-doubt. 

Burgos also pointed out that for many first-gen students, there is a lot of pressure to not fail. “You're not doing it just for yourself. You're representing your family in some way, and that is difficult to navigate,” she explained.

With their shared Latina background, Burgos was an ideal mentor for Pineda, guiding her through the complexities of college life as a first-gen student and the unique challenges of being a child of immigrants. 

Born in El Salvador and the eldest of five siblings, Pineda, a sophomore at RBS-New Brunswick, had to mature quickly, taking on tasks such as caring for her baby sister by the time she was nine. Her parents, who lived in a rural area and never made it past middle school, couldn’t offer guidance on managing academic pressure or crafting a resume. Burgos filled those gaps. 

Pineda initially struggled with guilt over pursuing higher education, feeling a deep responsibility toward her younger siblings. Burgos helped her see the broader impact of her decision: setting a positive example. Now Pineda’s siblings are inspired to follow in her footsteps of higher education.

Although Pineda's parents are proud that she’s the first in her family to attend college, the pressure to excel weighs on her. Conscious of her parents’ sacrifices for a better life in the United States, she doesn’t want to disappoint them.

Fortunately, Burgos' empathetic understanding of these cultural dynamics has helped her manage these intense feelings.

“If I ever need advice, Nadine is there for me,” Pineda said. “Whether it's something about school or personal, even how I can better myself, she's always available to help me,” Pineda said.

-Elise McInTosh