Best Practices Roundtable:
First Generation Students and Empowering Their Resilience
Presenters:
Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed.
Benjamin Miranda, Jr., M.Ed., PMC, CMSgt (Ret‑USAF)
Hosts: Adesuwa Igbineweka & Andrea Horton-Meriçli
Location: Virtual (a Zoom link will be sent to you a few days before the event, after registration)
Date: Thursday, March 31st
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM EST
To help answer questions about resiliency with first generation and minority college students, we will hear from Benjamin Miranda, Jr., M.Ed., PMC, CMSgt (Ret‑USAF). To answer questions about first generation students more broadly, Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed., the inaugural Director of Boston University's Newbury Center for first-generation students, will share her expertise.
About our presenters:
Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed. is the inaugural director of the Newbury Center which was established to foster the success of first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students at Boston University (BU). Prior to joining BU, Maria has held numerous positions at The University of Vermont, Elon University, and Duke University. Most recently, she served as Co-Director of Diversity & Student Success in The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she established multiple diversity and inclusion initiatives at the graduate education level, including the Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS for first-generation graduate and professional students. As a proud first-generation graduate, she has a BS from the University of New Hampshire and an MEd in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Vermont.
Benjamin Miranda, Jr. of El Paso is the Director of Business Operations at Endeavors, a non-profit organization serving vulnerable people in crisis through innovative, personalized approaches. He is responsible for ensuring the success of the development, implementation, operation, and expansion of Endeavors’ many lines of service. Benjamin also serves as an Adjunct Instructor for the Resilience-Building Leader Program. Additionally, Benjamin is appointed by the Texas Governor as a Commissioner for the Texas Military Preparedness Commission. He is also the owner and co-owner of two Veteran Owned Businesses. He also serves as a board of director for the El Paso Chamber and El Paso Homeless Coalition Continuum of Care. Benjamin served 24 years in the United States Air Force, retiring in 2017 with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. He deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, UNIFIED RESPONSE, and to multiple counter-drug operations in Latin America. As a first generation in the United States, Benjamin was the first in his family to graduate from college. He holds two Associate Degrees from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education with a concentration in Human Services from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Walden University.
