WFAN
Aligning with the College’s Williams Firsts community definition, WFAN is a group of Williams alumni who are proud to be and support those who have come to Williams as “first” in some way. This includes graduates who were the first in their families to go to college, first in their communities to travel away after high school, first in their high schools to attend a college like Williams, and more.
WFAN seeks to engage the diverse and growing community of alumni with undergraduates, each other, and the wider Eph community. The group aims to promote networking opportunities, offer professional development workshops, provide a safer space to share Firsts stories, and celebrate the Firsts student experience at Williams through advocacy and mentorship.
Network Leaders: Alejandra Moran ’17, Kevin Miguel Hernandez ‘17.5
Kevin M Hernandez ‘17.5
I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Miami, Florida to Cuban immigrants. I was the first person in my family to graduate high school and had the wonderful opportunity of attending Williams in 2013. While at Williams, I majored in history and political science, was a board member for Williams Firsts, and was a JA! Upon graduation in ‘17.5 (I took a semester off, which allowed me to better understand my position in Williams), I decided to do Teach For America for two years while completing my Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins and am now applying to business school. I am currently a consultant and lead project manager in public education to ensure that every student gets the education that they deserve!
My time at Williams was both amazing and troubling. While I did make amazing friends, had the support system from the Williams Firsts family, and had the ability to double major, attending Williams was the first time when I truly felt like a minority and that my socioeconomic class was always at the forefront of my identity. There were many moments when I felt either frustrated because I could not understand the social dynamics or confused about the norms. As one of the WFAN co-chairs, I am excited to create a safe environment for dialogue, professional development opportunities, and a mentorship program.
Alejandra Moran ‘17
Born and raised in Chihuahua, México, I am a first-generation immigrant to the U.S. I “stumbled” upon Williams through QuestBridge—a non-profit organization that connects low-income, high-achieving students to top-tier colleges. Ultimately though, it was through the Windows on Williams (WOW) program that I fell in love with the College. While at the Berkshires, I majored in biology and psychology, was a thrower in the Track & Field team, was a JA and part of JAAB, and most importantly, was a student leader in what is now known as the Williams Firsts community. Upon graduating, I became an admission officer at Williams for four years, and I am currently in my second year at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, NM.
I can’t express how integral and invaluable the Williams Firsts community was for me to feel as though I belonged at Williams. Particularly as a woman of color in the sciences and a low-income athlete, I often felt imposter syndrome creeping in, but it was this community of supportive administrators, peers, and programming that kept me going. As one of the new WFAN co-chairs, I hope to foster an even safer and more supportive Firsts alumni community for all of us to thrive in our respective personal and professional lives.