By Melissa Ezarik July 18, 2022
Transitioning from a diverse high school in Boston to Union College in upstate New York—which enrolls about one-quarter students of color, who may also be part of the one-quarter who are first-generation students—was a culture shock for Ashley German Soto. “I did anticipate it was going to be a challenge, but I didn’t know it was going to be this white,” says German Soto, now a junior who has found pockets where she fits in the most, such as the intercultural affairs office. There, she’s been able to meet “those who look like me, first-generation Black kids. I don’t feel like I belong in classroom settings. Sometimes I’m the only Black student...