In honor of National First-Generation Student Celebration Week, the office of New Student & Family Programs will highlight a different story from a first-gen student each day. Read below to learn about R. Panneer Selvam's story! To read more first-generation stories, stop by the Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on today, Nov. 8, at the Arkansas Union or visit firstgen.uark.edu.

R. Panneer Selvam is a University Professor for the Department of Civil Engineering from Tiruvannamalai, India.

We asked R. Panneer Selvam the following questions and have included his responses:

What does it mean to you to be a first-generation student/graduate?

I considered graduating from high school itself as a Himalayan achievement when none around me graduated from high school. The other degrees, I don't have words to express. This did help me to motivate my younger brother and two other sisters to go to college. In the recent years, my two sons also graduated from college. I am sure just being around graduates opens the door for others around to go to college. This elevates the level of the society.

Why is being a first-generation student/graduate important to you?

Being a first-generation graduate helped me to find my life and also many around me. I never dreamt that I would get Ph.D. one day in a faraway land. To me education is the only thing that kept me going in my life. I entered school at the age of 3 and I am still in school even after 63 years! Also, the same education helped me to visit several countries in four continents.

What piece of advice would you give to first-generation students?

Keep focus in passing your classes with good grades and graduate as early as possible. The hurdles you face from financial challenges to how your peers treat you will disappear once you start learning how to make money and live a good life.

Thank you to R. Panneer Selvam for sharing your story!