Many students go into college with a generally accurate view of what it will be like. Growing up, they have heard stories from their parents, grandparents, and siblings about the college experience from what classes will consist of, to how to join clubs and organizations, to what living in a dorm will be like, to how to make personal and professional relationships in and outside of classes. For some students though, this is not the case because they are the first person to go to college in their family. Students like these face automatic additional stressors because they haven’t heard stories of college and don’t have people to turn to in order to ask even the simplest questions about college life. While being faced with these additional struggles takes effort to overcome, for students like Kayla Canis, that does not stop them from succeeding.

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           Kayla Canis is a Senior student at Oklahoma State University studying for a degree in Human Development and Family Science with an option in child and family services. She is a first generation student but has not let the struggles of that define her. Born and raised in Waxahachie, Texas, she has always received endless support from her mother, Beatrice Canis, and family friends.

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          “Her brother passed away before she was born, and his friends stepped in as her godfathers. Also, the girl who used to take care of her when she was little is more like a big sister to her. They have all played a big role. Along with them, [her grandmother and I] have always offered her encouragement and support, making sure she knows that we are always there for her,” Beatrice said.

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          Although Canis had no family who attended college, she says that she gained the focus to attend college when she started high school. Through scholarships and dedication, she had the opportunity to attend Bishop Dunne Catholic School in Dallas, Texas, where she began her dream of attending college through the college preparatory aspect of the school.

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          “I didn't know if it was [going to be] a 2 year, 4 year, in state, out of state, or community college. There were a lot of unanswered questions of where, but what I knew was that I was going to do more than what my family was able to do,” Canis said.

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          After graduating high school, Canis decided to venture to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to get a degree in Animal Science with the plan of becoming a veterinarian which her mother says had been her dream since she was little.

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          When Canis came to OSU, she started to make her way as a student, but that was not always easy for her. Alone in a new town at a school she had heard only the basics of, Canis had to be confident in herself and ask questions that many other students already had the answers to because of their former connections to OSU and college in general.

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          “Having to be so vulnerable right off the bat asking questions and walking up to administration, processors, advisors, and directors to learn my way around the system were some of the biggest struggles I had coming into college. It was so scary, but then again honestly I didn't know how important people were, so being oblivious was pretty nice at times,” Canis said.

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          “She’s handled everything. There were a lot of things that were new to her that she didn’t have help with. But she asked questions to find out how everything was done and the way they needed to be done,” Beatrice said.

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          As many college students know, their education and receiving an academic degree is the most important part of college but that does not mean it is the only important part. Getting involved and making connections outside of class through clubs and organizations is also crucial. For some students, this means joining the student council for their college, a foreign language club, or a club that simply just peaks their interest.

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          For Canis, her first step in getting involved was to go through formal recruitment and attempt to join a sorority. Before classes even started, she went through recruitment and became a member of Zeta Tau Alpha. She claims that this was one of the key stepping stones that helped in her transition to OSU despite having the struggles of being a first generation college student.

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          “Finding people [through greek life], even if they weren’t best friends right away, right off the bat helped the ease of changing communities and made it all much easier. I was forced [to succeed] in school and spent a lot of time on it… Plus, it helped me know the people I needed to talk to and the tools I had at hand,” Canis said.

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          In joining Zeta Tau Alpha, she was presented with various clubs and organizations to become part of and was also given the opportunity to become involved in leadership positions through the sorority. One of her biggest leadership positions in ZTA has been Vice President of Membership. Among other aspects of this position, Canis led the ZTA Chapter during panhellenic recruitment in the fall of 2021.

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          Through this position, Canis was able to lead the chapter through Greek Discovery Day, Work Week, and recruitment, being able to offer a positon in ZTA to over 50 young women.

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          In addition to this position, Canis has also served the chapter as a member of the executive council, as head hours girl for 2021 Homecoming, and as Recruitment assistant. Through these positions and simply being a member of ZTA, Canis has make a huge impact on other young women in the chapter.

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          “Any time you see her, she has a big personality and is always willing to reach out and help and speak her mind and just be a really influential person,” fellow member of ZTA and Junior student Ally Burchett said.

While the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine is what drew her to OSU, she quickly came to the realization that her new dream was in helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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          While a change in career paths is always a big choice, this change did not come as a surprise to Canis’ mother.

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          “Kayla has a mindset of her own. She’s always had this in her heart. When she was little, she always wanted to be a vet first but as time went on, she more and more got into kids with disabilities, just people in general with disabilities. That’s always touched her heart very much,” Beatrice said.

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Upon changing her career path, she joined the community of the Department of Human Development and Family Science. After deciding to make this change, she fully dove into this community and decided to get involved in any way she could.

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          With a love for helping individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and the dedication to make her way as a first generation college student, Canis has seized every opportunity that was presented to her. Canis is the PR Chair for Best Buddies, the Human Development and Family Science club president, a member of the order of omega, an Education and Human Sciences Ambassador, and a freshman scholar leader. In addition to these OSU clubs, Canis is also a part time support for a family whose son has developmental disabilities.

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          To say that Canis has overcome the struggles of being a first generation college student is an understatement.

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          “The impact this has all been on Kayla is beyond words, the opportunities she’s been given through the time she has been there with OSU and Zeta both. They’ve both opened so many doors for her and she always just walks through them. She takes advantage of all the opportunities she’s been given, and she’s been given a lot. She doesn’t waste them for herself, and it carries on with her future kids. It’s been a blessing to see,” Beatrice said.

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          Her friends and family are so proud of the young woman and college student that Canis has come to be. She pushes herself through every hardship she faces and serves as a role model for present and future first generation college students.

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          “I definitely think that first generation college students are much more apt to take those opportunities as they come and that shows through Kayla. Whereas someone who has seen different opportunities that their parents or siblings have gotten in college tend to wait for something else. Kayla is a key example that when an opportunity presents itself, to take it, no matter any specific things that may hold them back, like being a first gen student,” Junior student Sadie Smith said.

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          But this is not the end of the story of Kayla Canis. She plans to attend graduate school and continue to take every opportunity that is presented to her. In addition to this, Kayla believes that she will do the most to encourage her children to follow in her footsteps.

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          “I know I will push my kids to go to college, and I will push for scholarships, and building a resume in high school. I will help them understand financial aid… and other things that I wish I knew in high school that might have made the transition easier. I wouldn’t change a thing of my experience though! I am so happy and fulfilled with where I am right now, and I cannot wait to help my own family through the same experiences using my knowledge,” Canis said.

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          Although being a first generation college student can come with challenges, Canis is a great example to future individuals in the same position that it is possible to push through these challenges. In the words of Beatrice, you have to be a go-getter, determined, caring, and a dreamer just like Kayla.