Creating a new narrative: VSAC employees who were first in their families to graduate from college share their stories and advice

For many first-generation college students, the path to higher education is anything but straightforward. A first-generation student is a person whose parents did not complete a four-year degree. And without a parent’s roadmap to college applications, financial aid, or campus life, these students often have to navigate the process largely on their own—while balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and their motivation to succeed.

In Vermont, that reality hits close to home: 40% of high school seniors in 2024 were the first in their families to consider college. And while 73% of their classmates planned to continue their education, only 62% of these trailblazing first-generation students said the same.

Every year on November 8, VSAC and our partners nationwide mark First-Generation College Celebration Day. The event serves as a reminder of the barriers preventing many students from accessing higher education, and of the support still needed for these students to continue thriving. The celebration aligns with programs like VSAC’s GEAR UP, which provides guidance and support to help first-generation students find their path after high school.

Each week, we’re honored to highlight the journeys of first-generation students we work with—and this week, we’re celebrating some of the first-generation VSAC staff who are making education after high school not just a possibility, but a probability for countless Vermonters. In their own words, here are their stories and advice.

“Look for the helpers. They are everywhere.”

Jaye O’Connell absolutely loved school. She grew up in Middlebury, steps from Middlebury College and all the cultural enrichment that was offered to the local community. The summer language school, in particular, had a large influence on her.

When Jaye applied to St. Lawrence University she knew she would need financial help. VSAC became a critical resource. “I had a VSAC grant that I was able to take with me to a neighboring state,” she shared. Her mom also helped with the search for financial assistance, and between loans, grants, an Emma Curtis scholarship, and family support, Jaye was able to finance her education. “While I borrowed federal loans through a local bank, VSAC purchased my loans and supported my loan repayment after college.”

“When I was accepted to St. Lawrence University with an undecided major, I knew Spanish would be part of my curriculum,” she said. “I’m grateful every day for my liberal arts education and the critical thinking skills I gained.” A year abroad living in Spain further solidified her interest, and, years later, she even had the opportunity to host an exchange student from Spain and gain a lifelong Spanish family.

While she’s not using her Spanish skills every day in her work as the Director of Compliance & Information Security Officer at VSAC, the skills she gained through her education help her immeasurably. And her career has come full-circle, giving back through VSAC.

Now, she’s part of the VSAC team helping to make it possible for others to pursue their dreams. The Curtis Fund, which awards scholarships for modest-income and first-generation Vermonters, stands out as one example of how VSAC is empowering students to make their education dreams a reality. “I’m so happy VSAC is partnering with the Curtis Fund— it is an important source of funding for Vermont students pursuing higher education and career training,” she noted. “VSAC covers all the bases in supporting First Generation students, from promoting college or post-secondary career training as an option, to providing support and information resources to get there, and then with the critical support for financing an education through grants, scholarships, and loans.”  

Jaye’s best advice is for people to follow their dreams and interests, and trust there are people and places, like VSAC, who will support them on their education journey. “Always look for the helpers,” she said.

“I get a real sense of pride knowing that I’m helping students in some way figure out how they can make it in school.”

Rosanne Nelson is marking her 38th year at VSAC. She’s currently the Director of IT and Project Management, but she started in loans and grants. “That direct contact with students, knowing I was helping them figure out how they could go to school, gave me a real sense of pride,” she said.

She doesn’t have that day-to-day contact with students in her tech role, but she’s still making a difference in the experience that students and their families have with VSAC. “My job is to make sure our employees have the tools they need to do their jobs,” she shared. In the many roles she’s had over the years with the organization, making continued contributions to VSAC’s mission is important to her.

Contributing to the big picture brings Rosanne back to her own story. She knew when she started thinking about applying to schools that her parents weren’t going to be able to help financially. “I had to finance it. I was able to do summer work-study full time and also had another part time job in the summer. I took out loans and got grants. It meant a lot to me to be able to go to college,” she noted.

It was her work study job that inspired Rosanne’s career path; she was working in the financial aid office at the time and found that it helped ignite her passion. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a nurse or a teacher, but she knew she wanted to help people; working in financial aid inspired her to think about how she could help people, but in a business setting. So Rosanne changed her major and set the path for the next several decades of her life.

“I always valued higher education. My dad in particular regretted not going to college.” In a way, Rosanne said, working with VSAC is full circle for her, as she gets to help the next generation figure out how to make all the pieces work together. “I get a real sense of pride, knowing that I’m helping students in some way, figure out how they can make it in school,” she shared.

“One path and one destination is not the only way to move forward.”

Cathy Printon found “her people” in college. “The culture of the college and the campus, and feeling that I belonged made all the difference,” she said. “It brought me out of the narrative I had for myself and really formed my ambitions, self-esteem, and aspirations for the career I’ve chosen.”

“There are so many pathways and programs for helping Vermonters achieve their professional goals. One path and one destination is not the only way to move forward.”

She grew up as the second youngest in a family with five kids. “Our parents were not well versed in advising us on life after high school. We all walked our own path,” she shared. While her older siblings influenced her, she laughs at how “green” she was when she arrived on her college campus.

Fortunately for me the staff at the college knew my profile very well. They were well-versed with assisting and supporting first-generation students, particularly Vermont students. They knew what I didn’t and never made me feel that I didn’t belong. I thrived in that environment. As a student who was interested in my education but not overly inspired by my high school experience, finding my place in college made all the difference.

Finding her place was also influenced by VSAC. She took out VSAC loans and received resources and support. As VSAC’s Vermont GEAR UP School and Family Partnership Coordinator, Cathy now builds on her own experience to offer that support to the next generation looking for help attaining education after high school. “Offering relationships to first-generation students so that they may access resources and opportunities is so important as they consider and plan for their futures,” she said.

“There are so many pathways and programs for helping Vermonters achieve their professional goals. One path and one destination is not the only way to move forward. It’s important that we are a place for students to find support and connections to help them design their pathway.”

After all, she said, if not for the people who supported her along the way, she may not have followed the path she did, which took her full circle to become an educator and have a career in post-secondary education.

“This is an organization that really stands by its mission.”

She’s only worked at VSAC for a month, but Tera Dacek is both excited to work for an organization making education more accessible and committed to furthering the mission.

“College is an investment, and there needs to be guidance and support,” she stated. “VSAC does what they say they’re going to do and provides incredible step-by-step support for people in a way that is so impactful. Education changes lives and helps them take the next step. It makes a big difference for people and for our state.”

Tera grew up in Wisconsin. Encouraged by her debate team coach, she decided to apply to college. “Being on the debate team and surrounded by that level of critical thinking gave me the confidence to think I could go to college, and then to know I could go to college,” she noted. “It offered me an early glimpse into the kind of learning I imagined in college — reading, debating, and thinking deeply together.”

What first-generation students may lack in guidance, they make up for in grit. First-generation students are resilient, have a strong work ethic, and are deeply motivated to create new opportunities for themselves and their families.

It wasn’t an easy path. While there was always the possibility of college discussed at home, her parents were divorced and there were neither college savings, nor the ability to support her financially. “I knew it was up to me,” she said.

Originally, she was looking for a place where she could get a great education and could snowboard. Vermont checked those boxes. Tera started at the former Green Mountain College in Poultney and graduated from Champlain College in Burlington. “I loved the entire college experience and was really focused,” she shared. “I cared a lot about my grades. Paying for it myself and seeing those bills… I wanted to make the most of the opportunity.”

Now, Tera is VSAC’s Marketing Manager of Paying for College and Training and is able to pay it forward to the next generation. “I walk in every day excited,” she said.

“This is what I’m supposed to do.”

For Patrick Leduc, college was an opportunity to reinvent himself after a few challenging years in middle and high school. His family had moved in middle school and, “it’s a tough time to make new friends,” he shared. “I had one teacher who saw a lot in me and helped lift me up out of the struggles I was having,” he added.

The team atmosphere of basketball helped a lot too. Neither of Patrick’s parents went to college, but when he started expressing interest, they were supportive. With a push from his teacher, before he knew it, he was graduating from Missisquoi Valley Union High School and off to Hesser College in New Hampshire studying computer programming.

This year, he’s marking his 30-year anniversary at VSAC: “I kind of landed here. I was burnt out from the job I got out of college working the night shift as a computer operator and took a tech job at VSAC mostly because it was better than the job I had. I slowly started seeing the different things we did and fell in love with the organization. It’s really a service that we do, for social good with so many programs that help people and lift them up. We can change generations by creating opportunities for one person in that family to do something that maybe they didn’t think was possible. It’s just amazing to watch that happen.”

Patrick is now the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President at VSAC. “I honestly never thought I’d have a role like this,” he admitted.

I always thought someone would finally put those pieces together and figure out that I wasn’t supposed to be where I was. But, I’ve had some incredible experiences that have shown me this is what I’m supposed to do with my life. It’s pretty special to feel so fulfilled, all because I took that chance years ago, and so many others have taken a chance on me since.

Resiliency changes the future 

What first-generation students may lack in guidance, they make up for in grit. First-generation students are resilient, have a strong work ethic, and are deeply motivated to create new opportunities for themselves and their families. Their journey isn’t only about earning a degree—it’s about creating a new narrative, breaking cycles, and proving that determination can open doors that once seemed out of reach. That shared commitment strengthens VSAC as an organization and helps ground our mission in empathy, equity, and possibility.