‘Take the leap’: First-generation graduate finds her place at Binghamton

Moving away from home for the first time requires many adjustments. It wasn’t easy at first for first-generation college student Kaitlyn Capone ‘26, but she eventually found her place.

“I was not used to change, and not used to being completely on my own, but it was really freeing to feel such a large amount of independence all at once,” Capone said. “Going to class and getting into a routine really helps the transition. Everyone I met along the way was so friendly and very open, and wanted to help me out.”

Capone, who grew up in Westchester, New York, is the oldest of three and the first to go to college. She chose Binghamton University due to its mid-size, proximity to home, the community she saw here, and the opportunities it offered.

“It’s really important to me [to be a first-generation college graduate]. I’m also the oldest, so I think it’s really cool that I get to lead the way because both of my siblings are in college right now,” Capone said. “I like that they look up to me, and I was able to help them throughout their entire college process.”

Capone is an economics major with a minor in digital and data studies, both programs offered by Harpur College of Arts and Sciences. Her economics classes are relatively small, so she has been able to make friends and bond over shared experiences.

“I am passionate [about] my minor more than my major. I like the kind of backend and coding aspects [of my minor], and I grew a passion for data analytics, specifically,” Capone said. “I really like turning numbers into charts and graphs. I think it’s satisfying to see raw numbers and data being transformed into compelling stories.”

Capone’s journey at Binghamton didn’t begin as she might have expected. Settling into college life and being away from home were challenging, but she quickly learned that establishing routines and branching out were key to easing the transition.

She is a member of the Binghamton Kickline team and Evolution Dance Company. She has also been interning at MediaBrush Marketing since last semester. Her time there has helped her to decide to pursue a career in data analytics. She also joined the Kaschak Institute for Social Justice and Girls, specifically, the subgroup 1MReady_BING. She knew she wanted to do something that would bring about real change and sought out communities in Binghamton that would help shape her future.

“I wanted to be a part of something that had to do with the environment and helping out around campus. So, I decided to join Kaschak, and my subgroup has an environmental focus,” Capone said. “I really like their mission and how they’re mostly focusing on what we could do on campus versus as a whole [in the greater Binghamton area].”

Through Kaschak, Capone was a part of a Sustainability Fest held last year that brought together the campus environmental clubs with 1MReady_BING to raise awareness of environmental issues among students, faculty, and staff. Capone’s role involved planning and logistics.

“It was really cool to see how we were all able to come together on one cause,” she said of the event.

Capone is passionate about how small changes can have a big impact; she feels Kaschak is doing just that. She listened to a speaker discuss electricity use and our individual part of it, and how our small actions mean so much. She saw that Kaschak’s work aligned with the change she wanted to make, and she is proud to be a part of 1MReady_BING.

While Capone’s Binghamton journey is nearing the end, she will take with her everything she learned here — the passions she nurtured, the change she contributed to through Kaschak, and the community she found, which allowed her to continue doing what she loved.

Her advice to high school seniors and other incoming students: “Take the leap, even if you’re scared to come to college, everything will be fine.”