Published by Houston Public Media, this story highlights the challenges first-generation college students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic as campuses closed nationwide. Luz De Leon, a Houston native studying at Skidmore College, and other EMERGE scholars had to quickly adjust to online learning while managing financial and emotional stress. EMERGE’s “persistence managers,” including Sayra Alanis and Carlos Perrett, stepped in to help students navigate travel logistics, access emergency funds, and stay connected to their academic communities. The story sheds light on how EMERGE continues to support talented, first-gen students as they pursue their degrees at top-tier universities.
