EOI Stories
EOI serves and supports the Flint community. Our office was established to provide pathways to college for individuals who live in Genesee County and attend schools in our region. We have guided many of our neighbors on the path to graduation. Getting a college degree is the goal for students who choose to attend UM-Flint. Graduating shows the achievement of completing the journey. However, there is more to the story. Each and every individual who lives in our community has a story to tell. We would like to get to know you and learn more about your story. Here are some of our stories.
Our community includes
- First-generation college students
- Individuals who live in Genesee County
- Students and families who choose to attend UM-Flint
Many students who attend UM-Flint speak a language in addition to English. We honor and recognize the importance of their native languages, cultures, and stories. Stories are told in a variety of ways – video, audio, written – and in different languages.
Life-Changing Education: Our Stories
EOI provides access to education for students who might not otherwise go to college. Opportunity is a pillar of our work. We believe that education can transform lives so we prioritize education by removing barriers along the way. We know that learning can be transformative. You will hear stories that describe access, opportunity, and individuals who have overcome barriers and obstacles. These stories show the possibilities and impact that education can have for students who attend UM-Flint.
José López
“Sí me da mucha alegría mirar a la comunidad donde yo crecí y donde corrientemente vivo haciendo cosas buenas”
Jason M Lesiewicz
“Para mí, una carrera universitaria de cuatro años representa una validación; me demostró que mis pasadas luchas con la salud mental no definían mi capacidad intelectual ni mi futuro.”
Paul Fereira
“Mis padres nos dieron todo lo que pudieron y nos enseñaron que todo lo que recibíamos —ya fuera en abundancia o en escasez— era siempre algo significativo que debíamos valorar.”
Paulina Rivera
“…La universidad, el colegio no es solamente para tu carrera y para los calificaciones, es también para que tienes las oportunidades, los programas, los departamentos, los profesores.”
Jesús Leon-Soto
“…Yendo al colegio no solamente te ayuda como a a educarte en tu profesión, pero te ayuda como a educarte como una persona y te ayuda como enseñarte diferentes oportunidades que hay en el mundo.”
Pricila Mejia Velasquez
“Los advisors de la carrera, consejeros, o cualquier maestro que esté ahí, como ya tienen esa experiencia, y ya pasaron por un camino que nosotros no hemos recorrido, me he dado cuenta que me ayudan a mí para que yo pueda seguir avanzando con mi carrera. Ya que a veces en mi carrera voy a seguir teniendo preguntas y van a haber veces que no voy a tener las respuestas correctas, y yo se que ellos siempre van a estar ahí para apoyarme.”
Life-Changing Education: Student Athletes
Many EOI Scholars were student-athletes in high school or play on a sports team at the University of Michigan-Flint. Athletics can help students build good discipline, develop strong habits, and a team can provide a supportive community. EOI Scholar-Athletes share their stories below.
David Suarez
BSW, Social Work (2026)
“[A]dvocating for yourself is very important because if you don’t advocate for yourself then, I mean, nobody else really will…”
Rasheem Foster
Lead Program Associate, EOI
“Plans for next season is to go out and recruit as much people as we can and have a more structural basketball program.”
Antonio Parks
Head Basketball Coach, UM-Flint
“Once you join the team, you have a community of people who are behind you. That’s the main thing that our team is doing for each other.”
Our Future
We will continue to engage community members in and around Flint who wish to share their stories. We acknowledge the roots of our program originated within local K12 classrooms. We plan to learn more about educational access in Flint as we work with Flint Community Schools, Westwood Heights (Hamady), and Beecher High School. We are excited about our relationship with the Latinx Technology & Community Center and will continue to welcome students who speak many languages.
Our Funding
This resource was created with support from the University of Michigan’s Life-Changing Education Grants program.