From her first days in elementary school, Ivanna Milian’s family nurtured her path to becoming a first-generation college student. As they drove to school each morning, her father peppered her with positive affirmations.
“I didn’t really like them, but I think the encouragement as I was growing up really helped me get more confidence,” said the University of Florida student, noting her father’s favorite affirmation was from President Harry S. Truman: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
Those supportive vibes eventually led Milian — a 22-year-old native of Hialeah, Florida, who grew up in Pembroke Pines — to study mechanical engineering at UF.