First-Generation Student Lupe L. ’24 Communicates Value of Gettysburg College Education

Originally published by Gettysburg College on May 16, 2024
By Katie Lauriello, Photo by Abbey Frisco

Lupe L., an alumna of The Young Women’s Leadership School of Manhattan and Gettysburg College, speaks about the impact of exploring colleges with former Gettysburg admissions team member, and Student Leadership Network board member, Darryl Jones.

In 2018, during her senior year of high school, Lupe L. ’24 was introduced to Gettysburg College by Darryl Jones, who previously served Gettysburg College’s Office of Admissions for 35 years and frequently traveled to the New York City area to meet with prospective students.

“He was always in my high school and became a familiar face,” said Lazaro, a first-generation college student from The Young Women’s Leadership School in Manhattan, New York City. “Once senior year approached, we had so many conversations on what my college plans were and what I wanted to do.”

“‘I think you should give it a shot anyway and gain new experiences,’” Lazaro recalled Jones telling her and later visited campus several times. “It felt like everyone I spoke to seemed to care about me beyond whether I was going to come to Gettysburg or not. They were interested in what I wanted to do with my life and where I saw myself. They actually cared.”

“When I came back to campus in 2019,” she continued, “it was the first time I’d ever seen the stars. I love the stars, but I live in New York City. On my bus ride home, I applied Early Decision immediately because I knew [seeing the stars] was my sign.”

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