FGLI is a student organization that was established by Jonathan Diaz-Ramos, Vanessa Guzman, and Tyler Patton in 2020. Jonathan Diaz-Ramos, Vanessa Guzman, and Tyler Patton recall being astonished by the fact that only 60 percent of students with college educated parents graduated from college (undergraduate school), whereas first-generation college students only had a 45 percent graduating rate. Both Jonathan Diaz-Ramos and Vanessa Guzman created FGLI in order to prevent William & Mary’s first-generation college students to fit into this regressive trend nationwide.
As executive board leaders of FGLI for three years, Jonathan-Diaz Ramos, Vanessa Guzman, and Tyler Patton have done the following for FGLI:
- Created a FGLI executive board
- Created FGLI committees
- Created Empowerment Workshops
- Created Academic Workshops
- Elicited the Creation of Leadership Program between FGLI students and Faculty
- Initiated FGLI Dialogue between President Rowe
- Increased the College’s Awareness of FGLI Needs
Both Co-Presidents Jonathan Diaz-Ramos and Vanessa Guzman graduated William & Mary in 2021. In addition, executive board member Tyler Patton graduated William & Mary in 2021. As our former co-presidents and executive board members graduate, the FGLI community wants to emphasize how grateful we have been for their steadfast leadership. Without Jonathan Diaz-Ramos, Vanessa Guzman, and Tyler Patton’s leadership, FGLI would not exist and currently thrive.
Currently, Orley Estrada and Jordan Shield have been elected as co-president of FGLI. Our main missions as current co-president are the following:
- Fundraise for Study-Abroad Scholarships
- Continue Empowerment and Academic Workshops
- Create a well-functioning Student Website
- Continue Advocating FGLI Needs to President Rowe and Faculty
- Foster and Maintain FGLI Community
- Advocate and Empower FGLI Needs
William & Mary FGLI 