First Up: Brought To You By ISAC

Welcome to another episode of First Up, brought to you by ISAC. In this previously recorded episode, we sit down with college student, content creator, and podcast host Jacey Saige. Tune in as we explore financial literacy and how she turned her journey from campus to content into a platform that’s educating others.  Want to hear more from Jacey? Visit https://linktr.ee/jacey.saige

 In today's episode, we speak with returning guest and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Keeayla Wilhite, LCSW,  to take a brief look into life after graduation.  Join us in conversation as we explore life, career and the uncertainty of life after the degree from a mental health lens.

In today's episode of First Up, we are joined by returning guest and ISAC's Adult Outreach Specialist, Paul Oliver III. In this exciting segment we explore college stereotypes in a true or false format. Join us in discussion as we dive into some college stereotypes prompts that we crowdsourced. Hope you enjoy!

Welcome to Season Three of First Up brought to you by ISAC! After a brief hiatus, we are back with an all-new season and live recording featuring the entire ISACorps. In this episode we explore how movies portray the college going experience and expectations through a first-gen lens.  Join us as we dive into our list of top college movies!

Welcome to the season two finale of First Up! In today's episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Bradley University's Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, Brian Hodges, live from the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) Conference in Peoria, IL. Social psychologist and leadership expert Adam Galinsky, Ph. D. has spent three decades building a method fo...

Hi First Up listeners, please join us next week for our season two finale! This will be our hosts and team's first recording with a live audience.   We invite you to learn more about Adam Galinsky, Ph. D. and his book Inspire: The Universal Path to Inspiring Yourself and Others by listening to his most recent event provided by The Family Action Network (FAN): https://www.familyactionnetwork.net/ev...

Welcome to another episode of First Up! In this special episode we take a deep dive into the doctoral journey of our host Jasmine Jetton-Gonzales, Ph. D. from experiencing adversity to maintaining her well-being in the face of challenges, Jasmine has stayed resilient throughout her educational journey. We invite you to join in on the discussion and help us celebrate her!       

In today's episode of First Up, our hosts discuss barriers that many first-generation college students face and provide ways in which students can combat some of those barriers. We hope this helps! The ISACorps are here to help you through the college planning process! To find your nearest ISACorps member visit: http://studentportal.isac.org/isacorps  

In today's episode of First Up, our hosts have a conversation about creating motivated mindsets and finding your motivation (intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation). As students push through their final semester, it's important to stay motivated and build habits to build a motivated/ growth mindset. We hope this conversation is beneficial to you!

On today's episode of First Up, we are joined by ISAC's Assistant Director of Training and Professional Practice, Sara Espinosa. During this episode, we talked about the importance of being informed on the financial aid process and the many financial barriers that exist for students planning to attend college/other post-secondary options. We hope you enjoy!

Welcome to another episode of First Up! In this special episode we are joined by ISAC's Community Outreach Specialist, Paul Oliver, to share a few suggestions and safety tips for our high school and college students going on spring break. We hope these suggestions and tips are helpful!    Have a question or story you'd like to share? Email us at Isac.firstup@illinois.gov

In this episode of First Up, our host have a candid conversation about being a commuter student in comparison to being a residential student living on campus. This conversation features ISAC's training and development specialists Ana Moya, and Salma Uribe. We hope you enjoy this episode!  If you are a recent college graduate and interested in joining the ISACorps, please visit https://www.isac.org...

In today's episode of First Up, our host Brian speaks with third year college student, Dejan Drasko. During the interview, Dejan discussed his experience as a first-generation college student, how pivotal Esports was to his college transition, and the importance of asking for help. ~Esports, short for electronic sports refers to competitive video gaming.

In today's episode of First Up, one of our hosts has an open conversation with a family member who went away for college but continued to set an example from afar. Our guest Kasia Redding, J.D., is a first-generation professional who attended Tougaloo College, a private historically black college. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were founded in the 19th and 20th centuries to o...

In today's episode of First Up, our host speak with current educator and former BAM Regional Manager and Counselor, DeKevious Wilson, to discuss his experience moving to Illinois to follow his family's passion for teaching and helping others. We hope you enjoy! Youth Guidance’s Becoming A Man® program (BAM®) is a school-based group counseling program that guides young men in 6-12th grades to learn...

We’ll be back next with a full episode week on Wednesday; February 19th so tune in then! Below you will find resources mentioned in this episode. https://howwefeel.org./ “How We Feel”, a free app designed by scientist to help people find the right words to describe how they feel. Life as a QuaranTEEN: Youth Mental Health Post-Pandemic - FAN   In a youth-centered, youth-moderated conversation, New...

Are you a student interested in studying abroad? If so, this episode is for you! Join our host as they interview first year ISACorps member, Niah Dobbins. In this episode Niah shares her experience studying abroad, the benefits of learning new cultures, and the reality of culture shock.

In this episode of First Up, our host are joined by ISAC's Assistant Director of College Access Services, Kim Korando, to discuss what it was like being first generation and growing up in Southern Illinois. We hope you enjoy! "What's your marshmallow" refers to the marshmallow test, a study that measures a person's ability to delay gratification. 

In this special episode of First Up, our host attend an open house where they hear from different divisions of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). In this round table talk, we get to hear from several people, and we also did some rapid-fire questions that we think you'll enjoy!   Top Holiday Movie Choices: 1)The Grinch 2)Home Alone 3)Diehard & Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

In this holiday themed episode, our host are joined by members of ISAC to discuss their family holiday traditions, movie favorites, and the importance of coming together. This episode is filled with plenty of friendly banter and interesting questions! Want to join in on the fun? Send your answer(s) to the question(s) listed below to isac.firstup@illinois.gov 1) Favorite holiday movie? 2) Real tree...

In this episode of First Up, we hear from ISACorps member, Adamaris Saavedra, as she shares her experience with facing financial barriers and the power of mental health resources. This was a heartfelt episode that we hope you will enjoy! “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”- Helen Keller.

In this episode of First Up, we hear from second year ISACorps member,  Ines Garcia-Valdivia. We had a great conversation about mentorship, finding resources, asking for help and learning how to move at your own pace.  Have a question or story you'd like to share? Email us at isac.firstup@Illinois.gov . 

In this episode of First Up, we hear from second year ISACorps member, Brandon Bernal, as he discusses the highs and lows of transitioning from high school to college as a first-generation college student. During this episode, Brandon shares his personal struggles in high school and describes ways in which he remained persistent.

Welcome to season two of First Up! In this episode we hear from ISAC's Director of Outreach Operations, Abel Montoya, as he shares his journey as a first-generation college student and professional. This episode covers everything from barriers to resources; retirement plans and planning ahead for professionals.  Resources mentioned in this episode: studentportal.isac.org/firstgen  

Happy National First Gen Day! We're excited to announce that our first episode of season two will be live next Wednesday, November 13th! Have a question or story you'd like to share? Email us at isac.firstup@Illinois.gov .