Joe Hicks

Joe Hicks grew up in a small cabin in Wyoming and his parents worked hard to provide for the family. Being a first-generation college student, Joe had to seek guidance and support from other sources. He initially didn't consider attending college but changed his mind in his junior year. He chose Montana State University and despite feeling uncertain at first, he found support from individuals who believed in him. Joe faced challenges with finances and had to rely on scholarships and loans. He became involved in clubs and organizations on campus, which helped him find his place and complement his academics. Joe encourages other first-generation students to ask questions, get involved, and take risks. He wants them to know that they are not alone and that there are resources available to support them. Hello my name is Joe Hicks and I grew up just outside of Moose, Wyoming in a two-bedroom log cabin built in the 40s in a private inn holding in Grand Teton National Park and this was company housing through my dad's work. In the summers he was a river guide in the Snake River initially and went on to become the manager of the float trip company there working for Triangle X Ranch for 30 years. It was a bit surreal right you had the view of the Grand Tetons almost directly across for each day you woke up but also fairly small quarters as I had a younger brother and sister myself in one bedroom and my parents in the other. Growing up there definitely was very centered on the outdoors and my parents worked exceptionally hard on the you know environment of Jackson is very much a tourist industry and so neither my parents went to college and so what I really noticed early on I was just kind of the work ethic component. Both my mom and dad carried at least two jobs sometimes three. They always made sure that one of them was home with us but it was rarely having all five of us at home at the same time. It's just kind of the nature of it is you went from kind of seasonal work as I mentioned my dad being a river guide in the summer to being a snowmobile guide in the winter. My mom worked waitstaff, cleaning cabins, t-shirt shop, you name it. Whatever it took to make ends meet and so while it was a fairly modest living we'd certainly never went without kind of the basic necessities and certainly felt that love and support and I think that really kind of speaks to the idea of being first-generation college student is certainly my parents were supportive of but really lacked any understanding or awareness or background on it and so couldn't really be looked to or relied upon for advice and guidance and so I had to look elsewhere. I really never considered attending college perhaps up until maybe spring of my junior year. I think it kind of came with first time of taking the ACT, SAT and seeing you know all my peers around me seemed to be thinking about going to college. I had considered he was just kind of working after high school saving up money but didn't really have a real direction per se and so as I kind of embarked on the college search I took a look at some universities in the area, Wyoming, University of Idaho, University of Montana, Montana State and visited each and I'll say that Montana State initially was just so incredibly welcoming and that continued throughout just kind of that personalized outreach. I really felt like you know it'd be more than a number and so you know I got excited as that summer orientation kind of emerged. However upon arriving for orientation you know everything you know outwardly went well but I do know that kind of by the end of that first day I distinctly remember sitting in the parking lot outside of Roski Hall with the keys and the ignition ready to turn around and head home as I just really kind of felt like I just couldn't cut it and couldn't make it that I was in about a place and that perhaps I needed to take a different path in life. Something kept me there and I will kind of say what ultimately you know persisted was so many individuals on the MSU campus who believed in me when I didn't even believe in myself and so through a number of just kind of that the struggles of just kind of maybe not having you know that awareness like you said for my parents, that lack of confidence and then also the financial piece. I'm just kind of cobbling together various kind of student loans, FAFSA, scholarships, etc. just to make ends meet as an out-of-state student. I really had found my place first with my RA, Resident Advisor and then the Assistant Resident Director who advised the RHA in South Hedges Hall really kind of gave me some footing and encouraged me to become part of RHA which really kind of led me on a path I had never envisioned and that was one of extensive student involvement in clubs and organizations. It's really where I found my home to kind of complement my academics because when I first came to MSU I was at the time it was called General Studies now it's University Studies really undecided it wasn't a lack of not having anything of interest it was having too many interests and that's actually where I remained for almost my first two years in college until my advisor at the time Mary Noel encouraged me to pick a major and helped me kind of connect the dots of my interest working with students but also in the idea of the social studies realm and so I decided to commit to secondary education social studies broad field and really kind of encourage anyone in first-generation kind of circumstances to don't hesitate to ask questions. That was something that I think was a mistake on my part I've kind of felt seemed like everyone knew the answers and as a result I you know didn't want to stand out in a bad way and so I oftentimes held on to questions that had I asked them a little bit earlier I would have been that much further ahead instead of kind of learning the hard way. Also based on what I had shared about the involvement piece really encourage students to to find a club an organization or even just events that are being put on in the residence halls or otherwise to really kind of just build that social support that may not be there as a first-generation student. Particularly in my case I really didn't know anyone who came from my small town or at least we're not close in terms of during high school and so I kind of had to find my own way but the clubs and organizations really helped to kind of build that so that you know I had some people to fall back on and kind of converse with outside of kind of the formal class setting and don't don't be afraid to change to take a risk. Oftentimes as first-generation students I think we're in a space of vulnerability where you know we feel we have to just kind of play it safe because there isn't that kind of maybe safety net to fall back on. However I really found with time that the resources whether it's you know your college advisors, your RAs, somewhere like Office of Student Engagement or the Allen Urinal Center for Student Success is really all there to support you and to help you kind of get on that path that ultimately is going to best serve you as a student and as a you know up-and-coming professional. And so in my parting words just know as a first-generation student that you're not alone, that so many individuals are here to support you in your department, in the college, university, and in the community and that ultimately no matter how much maybe doubt, reservation, or other kind of questions you might have that you can do this, you can be successful, and you'll serve as an inspiration for countless others that follow.