Tina Meetran first came to College Visions in 12th grade seeking help navigating her path to a college degree as a first-generation student. With CV support, Tina earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Clark University. Now, Tina has returned as our newest Access + Success advisor here at CV. We hope you will join us in welcoming Tina, and read her interview below:
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Tina Meetran. I am from Providence, RI and I graduated from Classical High School in 2011, and am an extremely proud CV alum. I went to Clark University in Worcester, MA where I received my B.A. in International Development and Social Change and my M.A. in Community Development and Planning. My favorite hobby would be crafting and doing anything artsy!
Why did you decide to join the College Visions staff?
I decided to apply to work at CV for a number of reasons, the first being that I was very excited about the opportunity to give back to the community that helped me out so much when I was young. I am very thankful for all this organization has given me throughout my journey going to and graduating from college. Having that appreciation and understanding has influenced my desire to be able to give the same support to other first-generation students. I also decided to work at CV because of the opportunity to work with young people in the community I grew up in. I am a huge advocate of youth work, because I think there are many systems in our society that discourage young people; systems that often set them up to fail, especially young people of color. Thus, I am excited to be part of an organization that really values the ideas, potential and success of all young people, and supports young people in their ambitions.
What are you most looking forward to in the next coming year with CV?
I’m really looking forward to learning more about each student and getting to know their personalities. I think the best part of advising and mentoring is the relationships you build with the people you work with. So, not only learning about their academic potential, but also about their personal interests and quirks. I’m also looking forward to seeing students grow from this experience and really become excited about higher education.
What was your own college application process like and how did CV help you during that time?
My college application process was very stressful. Naturally, I felt stressed and additionally, my parents didn’t know anything about the college process, but always put a lot of pressure on me to go to a good college and get a good job. CV helped me out by giving me all the tools and resources I needed to be confident in my college decisions and the quality of my application. My advisor was always supporting and motivating me to do my best. I think the combination of getting the right information and receiving that genuine care from someone was what really helped me in the process.
Thank you, Tina and welcome to the CV team!