This spring, Grace Zucco will graduate from The Ohio State University, a milestone she has reached in just three years.
Grace, a Kessler Scholar from Youngstown, Ohio, recently reflected on the journey that brought her from a small hometown to one of the largest universities in the country and how the Kessler Scholars Program helped provide her with a community that made her feel at home.
Grace grew up about three hours northeast of Ohio State and originally imagined attending a nearby university. Like many first-gen students coming from a smaller community, she found the move to Ohio State both exciting and overwhelming.
“I knew that my strengths were communicating with other people. And I thought that being in a huge student body, like Ohio State has, would really allow me to network and use the skills I knew I had.”
Originally, she planned to pursue nursing like her older sister, but after living with her roommates in the Business Honors Living-Learning Community, she discovered a new passion that changed her academic trajectory.
Even though she didn’t yet have a business mentor in her life, she leaned on a community that understood the challenges of being a first-gen student while navigating new academic expectations, relationships, and campus resources.
“It really was nice to know there were other first-gen students around,” Grace recalled. “I was grateful to realize I wasn’t the only one.”
Grace learned about the Kessler Scholars Program during her first week on campus. For the first time, she was surrounded by peers who shared similar backgrounds and questions about navigating college.
One of Grace’s favorite early memories from her time as a Kessler Scholar was the Coin Ceremony during her first year that celebrated first-generation student success.
“We had a really nice dinner and I received a coin that said ‘Kessler Scholars’ that I plan to wear at graduation,” she recalled. “It was really special because it brought all of us together with guest speakers who spoke about their experiences being first-generation college students.”
Through the program, Grace quickly became involved in volunteer opportunities, worked with her peer mentor, connected with fellow Scholars, and participated in Ohio State’s STEP program, which provides experiential learning opportunities for students.
“I definitely knew that I wanted to secure an internship, and I received a lot of ‘no’s’ before getting a yes. Knowing that other people were going through the same thing was really helpful for my peace of mind.”
After some persistence, she landed an internship opportunity in Cleveland, Ohio with Lincoln Electric. She credits the Kessler Scholar Program’s financial assistance as a primary driver to creating such an impactful experience.
“Having those resources from the Kessler Scholars learning grant allowed me to live in downtown Cleveland and not have to commute,” she said. “My internship really set me apart when I started applying to jobs.”
Grace’s path is deeply shaped by her family’s background. Both of her parents have spent a large part of their careers working in manufacturing jobs in northeast Ohio, with her father at Packard Electric and her mother at Great Lakes Cheese.
So, it’s fitting that Grace will begin her career in the Human Resources Development Program at Precision Castparts Corporation, a two-year rotational program where she will gain experience across different areas in manufacturing and corporate offices. Her long-term goals include becoming an HR business partner and eventually pursuing an MBA after gaining professional experience.
Reflecting on her time as a Kessler Scholar, she hopes to stay connected to the first-generation student community that supported her throughout college
“I’m so incredibly grateful to have been a Kessler Scholar,” she said. “Something that I’m working toward in my future is to give back to other first-generation college students because I understand how other people have been impactful in my life.”
Her advice to future Kessler Scholars?
“Take advantage of the program because it has helped me, not only transitioning from high school, but with navigating internship searches, job searches, and really building my career with meaningful relationships.”