Imagine arriving in a new country, navigating a new system, where the rhythms of life are replaced by the cadence of a new culture and a set of unspoken rules; carrying not only your dreams, but your accent, your history, your hopes, and your ambitions that demand clarity. Nothing is familiar, yet everything is possible. For international and first-generation students, this is not imagination; it is reality, especially for those trodding the margins of multiple identities.

2025-2026 State Chair Em Hodge shares their experience at the 2025 Advocacy in Action Conference