Like most International and First Generation students studying and working in the United States, we had to independently navigate and figure out a lot of “firsts” in our college and post college journeys. Through trial and error, we struggled through questions such as “How does one do ABC in the USA?” or “How does one navigate XYZ with DEF set of limitations only international or first generation students have?” in topics ranging from choosing majors, finding and securing internships, preparing for job interviews, getting and transitioning jobs, navigating finances, immigration and (believe it or not!) dating.
After years of answering those questions for ourselves, and also chatting with others who have gone through similar experiences or are just starting out in the United States and looking for guidance, tips and tricks in advance, we have decided to put pen to paper to provide a one-stop shop for everything we have learnt over the years. We hope this will serve as a resource where international and first generation students can find answers as they navigate their lives and careers in the US.
So who are we?
First is Persie: I am a Healthcare Management Professional who grew up in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and attended High School at Kutama College before transitioning to the United States in 2010 to attend Amherst College. I then got a Masters at Yale University (MPH in Healthcare Management) before working as a Healthcare Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting, a Finance & Operations Manager in the Operating Room at the Mount Sinai Hospital and now an Analytics Manager at Premier Inc.
Next is Aubrey: I am a Tech Professional who grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe and attended High School at Kutama College before transitioning to the United States in 2011 to attend Franklin College. I interned at Goldman Sachs and Cummins Inc and am currently a Senior Analytics Manager at Facebook.
While we are both from Zimbabwe and have both landed jobs as Analytics Managers, our current roles are very different, and so are the paths that got us here. We think our experiences are applicable to international students and first generation students from all over who are pursuing various paths. Wherever you are coming from, and wherever you are looking to go, we hope you will find something useful here.
So please join us in what we believe is our small way of giving back to the communities that have shaped our lives here in the United States. We commit to sharing our experiences in the hopes that people can leverage them to avoid some of the mistakes we made along the way. If this goes well, we hope to expand this forum by sharing other people’s experiences to continue passing on the knowledge to both international and first generation students.
Thank you for joining us on this journey! Please reach out if you have any questions, comments or suggestions!
