Celebrate the Success of First-gen Students on Veterans Day
It’s BU’s First-gen College Celebration Week and Veterans Day–here we celebrate two of our Terrier F1RSTS who are also veterans. We thank ALL of our military-affiliated students, whether they are veterans, active duty, ROTC, or in the Reserves!
Name: Valery Franco
Hometown: Springfield, MA
Undergrad Institution: Boston University
Current Degree Program: Bachelor of Arts in International Relations
Branch and a Brief Overview of your Military Career so far: Massachusetts Air National Guard (Air Force Component)
I first joined the Air Force Reserves in 2020 as an Operations Manager. I later transitioned to the medical unit in the MA Air National Guard as a Health Services Manager. In this role, I serve as a medical administration specialist and have been privileged to do the following:
- Travel to an Army hospital in Hawaii to work alongside active-duty personnel and learn about their work.
- Learn combat lifesaving skills and become a trainer for other service members
- Aid in base-wide medical readiness through administrative and technical support, ensuring all service members on the base are deployment-ready
During my most recent drill weekend, I was also awarded Airman of the Year for the Medical Group. Moreover, I will soon serve in a full-time capacity, managing the base medical readiness and unit training programs.
What does it mean to you to be a first-gen military-affiliated student at BU?
I’m first-gen in multiple capacities because I am a first-gen college student and a first-gen military member. These can be difficult environments to navigate, but it makes me all the more proud to say I was able to accomplish both.
Name: Crystal Denise Vejar
Hometown: Logan Utah
Undergrad Institution: Russell Sage College, Albany NY
Current Degree Program: Master of Science in Medical Sciences
Branch and a Brief Overview of your Military Career so far: I’m currently a Sergeant in the Army Reserve. I came off of active duty this August after finishing up my deployment to Somalia. I am a 68D (operating room specialist) and have been a surgical tech since joining the military in 2018. I have worked at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, civilian hospitals in New York and Massachusetts, a Field Hospital, and for my deployment a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team.
What does it mean to you to be a first-gen military-affiliated student at BU?
Growing up as a first-generation student I was constantly facing new challenges that I felt I needed to master independently, not just for me but for my younger siblings as well. I had a strong support system at home but when I moved from Utah to New York for college everything was new to all of us and the military played a pivotal role in shaping my path to success.
The military not only provided me with stability and discipline that helped academically, but also instilled in me a strong sense of community and teamwork that helped shape my experience in higher education. The camaraderie and support network within the military community bolstered my confidence, it helped me remember I wasn’t on my journey on my own, and that I had many resources I could rely on.
Overall, the Army helped strengthen my belief in the power of community and lead to my goal of continuously building community around me and empowering others whenever possible. BU as an institution has also made community a priority so being here, specifically in MAMS, means I’m one step closer to achieving the goals I’ve dreamed of achieving, and am becoming better equipped to continue supporting the many communities I hold close to my heart.