
Zipporah Osei
24 posts
A journalist and first-generation college student originally from Yonkers, N.Y., Zipporah is in her last year at Northeastern University. She has reported for The Boston Globe, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Chalkbeat.
Let’s get first-gen students into STEM fields — and keep them there
How do we not only invite these students in to unfamiliar spaces but teach them how to thrive?
May 25, 2022
How apathy can be a systemic barrier for first-generation students
When Josh Farris hit barriers to studying abroad, he didn't get the help he needed from an adviser. It made him feel poor and unloved.
April 1, 2022
For first-gen teachers, the path of higher-ed leads back into the classroom
"I do think being first-gen and being a native Spanish speaker has helped me build relationships with my students," on teacher says. "They have to be able to trust you, they have to be able to feel safe in your classroom, and then we can start talking about academics."
October 22, 2021
I’ve been living in a student loan-free fantasy world, but all good things end.
First-generation college students are more likely to take out undergraduate student loans than other students, and when they do, they tend to be for more money. I’m in a very similar boat, so you can imagine why I took advantage of the freeze.
August 25, 2021
The onscreen representation ‘In the Heights’ actually got right
For all its faults in tackling colorism and Afro-Latinx representation in film, there was one minority experience it handled well: the story of first-generation college students.
July 8, 2021
The class of 2020 wants to redo its grab-and-go graduation
I’ve been talking about this with other members of my class in what feels like hushed tones. We’ve all suddenly been hit with a sense of sadness over our lost commencement we tell each other, but it feels selfish to voice it.
June 3, 2021
‘Scary feelings about money’: Talking finances and scarcity with First Gen Living
Let's talk about feelings of guilt that plague so many first-generation graduates.
May 6, 2021
When the fantasy of post-grad life doesn’t match reality
As a culture, we put a lot of stock into graduations as signifiers of success. If what follows are feelings of anything but joy, it becomes all too easy for the feeling of loss to become guilt.
April 1, 2021
Stronger Together: The Power of Mentorship
Mentors can raise self-confidence and connect first-gen students to pathways they didn't even know existed.
July 24, 2020
Graduate School and the Allure of Being a Lifelong Student
I’ve only been away from college for a couple of months and I’m already thinking about going back.…
July 10, 2020