To the Barrier Breakers, Movers, and Shakers:

To be the first is to carry a profound weight and an even greater hope. It’s not just a personal achievement—it’s a generational turning point. When you’re the first in your family to attend college, you don’t just open a door; you build the path that others will follow.

You are the captain of your ship, and more than that, you are, in many ways, the keeper of your family’s dreams. That responsibility can feel like flying a plane while building it midair—with no manual, no co-pilot, and the world watching. It can be overwhelming. It can feel like others around you know something you don’t. Despite all that, you met the challenge.  

Celebrate your Achievements

Let me pause and say what must be said: Congratulations. You did it!

You did it not just for yourself but for your family, for your community, and for those who have yet to imagine this moment as possible. You broke a barrier and became the proof that “Yes I can” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a declaration. It is a stand.  

I see your courage. I see the nights you studied when no one else in your family could help. I see the moments of self-doubt when you wondered, “Can I handle this?” And you answered, time and again, “Yes, I can.”

Your victory belongs not only to you but to those who sacrificed so that you could dare to dream this big. Your family may not have had a roadmap, but they gave you the compass—their love, their grit, their belief in you —and you excelled.  

But let’s be clear: this is just the beginning.

Keep Going, Trailblazers

Now, it’s time to take it further. To deepen your learning, sharpen your voice, and, most importantly, ask for help. Success does not come from knowing everything; it comes from doing something. It comes from knowing what you don’t know—and having the courage to ask the questions no one told you to ask.

It is not a weakness to seek support; it is wisdom. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that nobody makes it alone. Nobody.

Know that you are not alone. At Cornell University, over 16% of students are the first in their families to attend a four-year college. You walk among a proud cohort of trailblazers. With offices like First Generation & Low-Income Student Support, you have a team ready to walk with you, hand in hand, every step of the way.

In a world that said, “Are you sure you can do this?” 
You said, “Yes, I can.”

When they said, “You don’t belong here,” 
You said, “Yes, I do.”

This is your time. This is your legacy. Thank you for betting on yourself and reminding us all what is possible when courage meets conviction.

I am not just proud of you. I am inspired by you. So, keep breaking barriers. Yes, you can - because, Yes, you did!