Nobody showed Sylena the way, and still, she wanted to be the first in her family to graduate from college. She made several forays into higher ed, but past trauma, a difficult pregnancy, and ongoing health challenges put her aspirations on hold for many years.
In 2023, Sylena made the decision to try again at South Puget Sound Community College. This time, Sylena found success, earning numerous academic accolades on her way to achieving an associate degree this past spring. Sylena is now a WWIN Star Scholar enrolled at Central Washington University working toward a bachelor’s degree in education.
Sylena was the first in her family to earn a degree—but it’s clear she won’t be the last. On this First-Generation College Celebration Day, we salute the 72% of WWIN Star Scholars who, like Sylena, are demonstrating the power of being the first.