Her parents were both born in Guatemala and neither had any formal education. But Gabriella Mendez is now the first in her family to go to college and has made the University of Cincinnati home. "It's OK to be afraid," Mendez said. "You're going to be the one to kind of put the blueprint (on education for your family).” The third year finance and marketing major found community in UC’s 1MPACT House and the Gen-1 program, which together offer support to about 200 students. The 1MPACT House provides a focused residential community for first-gen students. The Gen-1 program offers scholarships, has a service-learning component, and was the nation’s first living-learning community supporting Pell-eligible, first-generation students in their transition to college life.