Scottsbluff teen carries on family's college tradition

SCOTTSBLUFF - When the Great Western Sugar Co. opened the doors of its sugar beet factory in Scottsbluff in 1910, opportunities were created for generations of families.

The industry was the motivation for Aldo Gonz¡lez's father to move from Mexico to western Nebraska in the mid-1950s with the hope of offering a better future for his family.

After a year of working long hours toiling in the beet fields, he saved enough money to send for his wife and 3-year-old son, Aldo.

About 20 miles east of the Nebraska-Wyoming border, the rolling hills of Scottsbluff were a far cry from the barn where Aldo's mother gave birth with the help of a midwife.

Following in the footsteps of millions who left their homelands in hopes of finding the American dream, the Gonz¡lez family found a place they could call home.

Some 45 years later, Aldo - now 48 and a father of three daughters - still calls the Panhandle home.

``We actually had it pretty easy,'' said Aldo, reflecting back. ``Dad worked a lot of hours and Mom kept a close eye on us. Dad was a strict disciplinarian and didn't put up with much, but overall it was a happy time.''After high school, Aldo didn't see college as a viable option. It wasn't because he didn't feel capable. Rather, he just felt more comfortable following in his father's footsteps and working in construction.

``My dad tried to push me into college or at least something professional,'' he said.

Instead of college, Aldo stuck around Scottsbluff, worked construction jobs and started a band with some friends. When he was 20, that band played at a high school prom. That's when he met a high school senior named Donna.

Six months later they were married.

Donna came from a strong German heritage, so it took her parents a while to accept Aldo with open arms. But eventually they came around.

``Donna's parents were still very traditional in their own ways,'' Aldo said. ``But once they got to know me they realized I was an OK guy.''

The couple's first daughter, Carmen, was born in September 1978. Jessica followed in November 1982 and Andr©a completed the family in January 1988.

Carmen eventually graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with an English degree. Jessica received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Colorado State University and is now working on her master's degree.

And this summer, high school senior Andr©a will follow her sisters in becoming a first-generation college student. She plans to study dentistry at UNL.

Making the jump to college was by no means guaranteed for Aldo and Donna's daughters, but determination was a key factor in making the dream a reality.

The quietly confident couple isn't sure how they raised three daughters who set college as a realistic goal. There were never any contemplated sacrifices or drastic parenting decisions - they just always set their daughters' future at an utmost importance.

And while the couple has their own thoughts on what paths their daughters should take, they knew it was ultimately up to the girls themselves.

When Aldo and Donna's oldest daughter, Carmen, was entering her last semester at Scottsbluff High School, plans of going on to college took motion.

``I knew that a big part of the reason (my grandparents) came to the U.S. was that education was important to them,'' Carmen said.

Getting their first daughter to college wasn't a smooth ride.

Aldo said the family didn't start planning for Carmen's schooling until that last semester. Looking back, the couple wish they would have started planning much sooner.

``We were uninformed,'' Aldo said. ``We felt a little embarrassed to ask questions, and that's just the wrong way to go about it. Because of it, Carmen probably suffered a little bit in getting scholarships.''

The parents received much of their initial information from mailings sent out by UNL, especially one that discussed opportunities for minority students.

One such program was the Summer Institute for Promising Scholars (SIPS) program, which helps incoming minority freshmen transition to college before the campus fills with thousands of students.

``I was interested because part of the program was getting a small scholarship,'' Carmen said.

Carmen entered the program in 1997, taking six credit hours and participating in social activities and community service projects.

Andr©a - whose list of extra-curricular activities is extensive - plans to follow suit this summer.

With two daughters graduated and another heading to the university, the Gonz¡lez family almost makes attending college as a first-generation student look easy.

But even their story wasn't without struggles. And neither are the stories of many other Hispanic families.

Rick Cantril, a guidance counselor at Scottsbluff High School, said cultural differences can often lead to difficulties in communicating a student's best options.

Minority families, especially Hispanic families, usually make decisions about school as a group, said Amber Hunter, assistant director of admissions and multicultural recruitment coordinator at UNL.

``Family is key to the recruitment process,'' she said. ``I think it is almost more important to talk with and make sure family members understand the college process as well as the students.''

In Andr©a's situation, seeing her older sisters' educational success made it easy to decide what she was going to do after high school - she would just continue the new family tradition.

And because of her parents' experience with the application process, Andr©a was quick to start her own college search.

She was also quick to set her sights beyond Nebraska.

UNL wasn't her first choice. She would have rather attended Duke University or anything on the East Coast.

``When she was a sophomore, she was East Coast all the way,'' Aldo said. ``We just figured we'd let her dream.''

While Andr©a was dreaming big, the UNL admissions office was making personal phone calls and sending postcards and e-mails. Recruiters kept telling her there were plenty of opportunities in Nebraska.

Plus, it was closer to home and family.

She visited campus last fall for a football game against Kansas State University, attended a tailgate party hosted by UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman and toured campus.

The October visit made the difference, and Andr©a decided to attend UNL.

``At this point, I'm pretty much fearless,'' Andr©a said. ``I know there are a lot of opportunities to volunteer within the community, and I'll be exposed to meeting new people.''