Sophia Givre
Alumni, Associate Director, Inclusive Academic Advising, Cornell University
I was a first-generation college student from a low-income family that was unaware of how to take advantage of the resources available to me. Even though I was an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) student at one of the colleges I attended, I didn’t utilize the program the way I should have. I thought I could manage everything on my own and that if I worked hard, opportunities would come my way. I also didn’t want to share any of the obstacles I was facing with anyone or ask for help because I thought people would judge me. Over the years, I learned that I didn’t have to do everything on my own. So, as a graduate student and Clark Fellow, I utilized the community and resources that were available to me. I ended up receiving a Ph.D. in Sociology with a concentration on inequalities in education. I spent some time as a counselor for an Opportunity Program and absolutely loved it. Now that I am no longer in that role, I want to continue mentoring students that share similar experiences so I can help them learn from my mistakes and accomplishments.
