For first-generation UF student Ivanna Milian, ‘the only option is to succeed’

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. 

Milian’s Columbian mother, Maria Teresa, and Cuban father, Rey, have three daughters. Neither parent attended college. So they were deeply proud when their eldest child earned a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship; a Pell grant; and UF’s Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarship, which assists low-income first-generation college students.  

“Having our daughter in the first-generation scholarship program has truly been a blessing for our family," Rey Milian said. “Ivanna has become an incredible role model for her younger sisters by being the first in our family to attend the University of Florida.” 

Early challenges 

In high school, Ivanna Milian thought she would become a doctor — until AP biology changed her mind and calculus changed her life. Now she is set to graduate in December from UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.   

She started by studying aerospace engineering until her first class at UF made her realize that becoming an astronaut was not where her heart was. Her love of math and physics soon led her to mechanical engineering.   

As those first semesters evolved, becoming the first college student in her family came with internal pressure, she said. But she kept thinking: “The only option is to succeed, and it’s going to happen."  

“I never felt pressure from my parents,” she recalled. “They trusted that I could make those [academic] decisions for myself.” 

Ivanna Milian lived in East Hall, which houses the Engineering Living Learning Community, an academic student community that includes other female engineers. That environment nurtured friendships and encouraged her to engage with more students and groups. 

Finding community 

Ivanna Milian cites connecting with Engineering Peer Advisors as another pivotal moment. She reached out to seek support but wound up volunteering.   

“Being a peer advisor with other great peer advisors makes me want to be a better student," she said. “I’ve been a part of a lot of organizations that just lift people up and make you feel more confident about yourself.”  

As a mentor, she ensures students are heard, supported and assisted, said Michael Todd, the Engineering Peer Advisors coordinator. 

“She is one of the best examples of a student leader I have had the good fortune to meet at UF,” Todd said.  

Ivanna Milian said the Machen scholarship program also paired her with a mentor as a freshman. 

“I needed help finding where I am, finding resources, and she helped me through a lot of personal issues I was having,” she said. “Becoming a mentor taught me how to be that support for other people. I was also able to apply that support to engineering peer advisors.”  

The importance of being the first  

Because there were no college graduates in her family, Ivanna Milian had to figure out many things on her own. She and her younger sister, who is now attending Florida State University, are laying a foundation for existing and future family members.

“Having that starting point is really important,” she said. 

And while she had to chart her own college career, Ivanna Milian’s family support system remained essential.   

"When changing my major from aerospace to mechanical,” she recalled, “it felt like the end of the world. My mom was able to ground me and connect me to people who were mechanical engineers.”  

Her mom and dad knew their first-gen Gator had it under control. 

“Throughout the past four years,” her father said, “Ivanna has demonstrated exceptional character, strong leadership and a genuine passion for serving others. Words cannot fully express how proud we are of all that she has accomplished.” 

Click here for more information about becoming a first-generation student at UF.