As a first-generation college student, Irvin Martinez Hernandez has faced financial stress, academic uncertainty and the challenges of transferring schools, but those obstacles have only strengthened his goal of becoming a teacher.
Martinez Hernandez, a junior early childhood education major at Lander University, began his college journey at Piedmont Technical College, where he graduated before transferring.
“It was amazing at Piedmont,” Martinez Hernandez said. “My professors were really supportive, and I have always felt like I had people there to help me.”
Despite the transfer experience causing some anxiety, he said having people to rely on and get support from was a big influence.
“When I transferred, I was stressed about whether my credits would go through and if everything would work out,” he said. “At one point, my classes were canceled, and I didn’t have financial aid set up. I felt like I was about to drop out.”
Instead of giving up, Martinez Hernandez got help from campus support, including faculty members who helped him through the entire process.
“They told me, ‘Don’t stress, we’ll figure it out,’” he said. “And we did. That experience taught me to take risks and trust that things will work out.”
Now at Lander, Martinez Hernandez is completing his degree online while working full time in an elementary school as a translator and K-5 assistant, gaining hands-on experience in the field he has always wanted to pursue.
“Ever since kindergarten, I’ve known that I wanted to be a teacher,” he said. “It’s not just something I chose. It’s a calling.”
As a first-generation college student, Martinez Hernandez said financial concerns were a constant worry, especially with going to college. The Greenwood Promise scholarship has helped him with that burden throughout his entire time in college, giving him more time to focus on his studies and gain experience for his future teaching career.
“Knowing that I have support takes a lot of pressure off my family and me,” he said.
The Call Me MISTER program, which aims to develop male educators and leaders, has also provided him with mentorship and guidance. He said the program has supported him throughout college as he works toward becoming a teacher.
“They teach us how to be role models, not just teachers,” he said. “It’s about making an impact.”
Since he is fluent in Spanish, he has also been working full time at Pinecrest Elementary School, acting as a translator for students and families who speak Spanish. He said it’s helped him get real experience working with kids and being in a classroom every day.
“When students see me, they get excited,” he said. “For some of them, it means a lot to have someone who speaks their language.”
In the future, Martinez Hernandez hopes to teach at the elementary level and continue giving back to the community that supported him.
“I want to inspire others, especially in the Hispanic community,” he said. “Since I was helped, I want to help others too.”
Through every step and obstacle, from Piedmont to Lander and his future teaching career, Martinez Hernandez said one lesson has stayed with him.
“Don’t give up,” he said. “Even when things get hard, just keep going.”
By Siera Bouffard, The Greenwood Promise
