From unsure to unstoppable

When Amy McGinnis started college, she didn’t even know she was first-gen.

“I can remember being in college and feeling like I wasn't in the know about things,” she said. “It wasn't until later in life that I attributed it to being first-gen.”

Her parents hadn’t gone to college—and didn’t really see the need. When she announced her plans, the response was skeptical at best.

“My dad said, ‘How do you think you’re going to pay for it?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’ll get some scholarships.’ So, don’t give me a challenge,” she laughed.

She did exactly that. Still, no one had explained how college worked.

“I didn’t know I had to go to my Calculus class in my first semester freshman year. I thought, ‘Well, I’ve had Calculus in high school. It’s probably the same thing.’ I went for a couple weeks and then I didn’t go. And nobody told me I was going to miss out on a lot.”

She didn’t know what studying really meant. She didn’t know what to major in. And she certainly didn’t know what jobs she could pursue with a degree.

“I remember going to the career center and saying maybe I’d go into marketing,” she said. “The woman asked me, ‘Can you tell me what you think marketing is?’ And I was so embarrassed. I had no idea.”

What she did have were people—roommates, professors, advisors—who met her with compassion and helped her figure it out.

“My friends and faculty accepted me for who I was in my unknowing and in my mistake-making self. I could cry thinking about it.”

That guidance—and the difference it made—left a permanent impression. After graduating, McGinnis pursued a career in higher education, working her way through admissions, graduate school, faculty roles, and strategic leadership positions in HR and organizational development.

Now, as a management faculty member and the Director of Student Engagement & Professional Development in the HUB, McGinnis is doing for others what others once did for her.

“I tell students all the time: your journey is your own,” she said. “It might be a straight line, or it might be full of twists and turns—and that’s OK. It’s OK to not have everything figured out.”

At the HUB, a student support and engagement center inside Grawn Hall, McGinnis helps business students make the most of their time at CMU. From peer mentorship to event guidance to connections with student organizations, the HUB is a space where students are seen as whole people—and supported accordingly.

“If you’re ever feeling like you don’t know where to go, you can come here. We may not have all the answers, but we’ll help you find someone who does.”

She also coordinates the Queller Leadership Scholars Program, a scholarship-based initiative that supports first-generation students through weekly mentorship, development sessions, and connections with business professionals.

“One of our mottos is say ‘yes’ to opportunities,” she said. “You don’t know what’s out there until you start trying things. You figure out what you like—or don’t like—by doing.”

She knows firsthand how intimidating that can be.

“It’s not fake it till you make it. It’s do it afraid,” McGinnis said. “Ask yourself: what’s the worst that could happen if I raise my hand, or go to that meeting, or talk to someone new? Probably nothing bad. And maybe something amazing.”

Her advice? Start small. Bring a friend. Build your village. And remember, you’re not alone.

“CMU does a great job of welcoming students. Faculty and staff are here because we want to help,” she said. “This is a place where you’ll be supported—and where you can grow into whoever you’re meant to be.”

Today, McGinnis helps students navigate and avoid the pitfalls on their educational journeys. As a faculty member and student engagement leader, she’s become the guide she once needed.