Javier Villalpando-Hernandez

Meet Javier Villalpando-Hernandez

Hometown: Greensboro, NC
College: College of Arts & Sciences
Year: 2023

Javier is part of the inaugural class of Kessler Presidential Scholars, a program supporting first-generation college students at Cornell.

When asked what being a first-generation student means to him, Javier said, "To me, being a first generation college student means that my initial college journey will be different from most of my peers. It can feel like I will be taking on this challenge blind, where I have no idea what to expect or what is expected of me. To top it all off, there is a constant pressure to succeed and take advantage of all the opportunities my parents never had available to them. It can be overwhelming at times, but it is a journey I am proud and excited to take.