After graduating its inaugural class last spring, the Dougherty Family College ushered its first group of students into St. Thomas this fall.

The road hasn’t been paved perfectly, but has opened new doors to people who didn’t think college could be an option.

“Overall, students are happy, and they’re doing well in their classes and they’re connecting to the St. Thomas community,” Dougherty Family College Persistence Director Katia Colón-Holmers said.

Colón-Holmers works with students like Xavier Abdullahi and Leslie Nicolas, two DFC alumni and St. Thomas juniors who are the first in their families to attend college.

Even though this is her own journey, Nicolas has kept her family members in mind during her education.

“To an extent, it is a little bit of pressure, but I’m doing this for us,” Nicolas said.

So far, DFC’s two-year liberal arts program has successfully helped students transition into a four-year degree, particularly students from diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Even those of us who aren’t here still have their two-year degree, which is something worth celebrating,” Abdullahi said.

Now, they navigate the ups and downs of a larger campus and rigorous coursework within their fields of study.

Abdullahi and Nicolas agree that the cohort model DFC provided made the experience better.

However, on the larger campus it is harder for the diverse new students to find the same community.

“We all felt more comfortable with each other because we all looked the same,” Abdullahi said. “My friends don’t necessarily feel super comfortable here just talking to anyone.”

Alternatively, Colón-Holmers thinks that the St. Thomas student body benefits from the diverse experiences of the DFC students.

“The DFC students are all amazing,” Colón-Holmers said. “They have a whole different perspective. No DFC student is the same.”

Abdullahi took several years of attending classes, researching options and working before finding a home at DFC.

“I attended North Hennepin for one semester, and what I noticed about the community college is that everyone goes to class and then goes home,” he said. “Then you kind of lose the sense of community at the community college. I kind of felt like I was there alone… at DFC, it was different because that community was there.”

Both students are involved in various clubs and intramurals on campus, but there is more work to be done to get in the groove of a four-year degree.

DFC provided students with laptops, meals and transportation they otherwise couldn’t afford, but at St. Thomas, students have to pay for those services.

Also, jumping from general courses to major courses with a narrow focus and high intensity has been a struggle for many DFC students.

“Everything’s going to be hard,” Nicolas said. “You just have to work for it.”

Nicolas, an exercise science major, interns at the Mayo Clinic and feels the degree St. Thomas offers will be useful when finding a job.

Not only is she preparing for the future, she is paving the way for her two younger siblings to choose post-secondary education.

“I’m pretty excited and proud of how much I have done,” Nicolas said.

Abdullahi, an environmental science major, considers continuing his education after he finishes his four-year degree.

“There’s been a lot of new opportunities that I never thought I would be able to get,” he said. “And every day, there’s another one. I like post-secondary education. I’m also thinking about graduate programs just because I love learning, and I love being a part of a community of learning.”

In the midst of the transition, Abdullahi said the DFC students “lean on each other” and continue to pave the way as the first class.

“Four years after high school and I found a program that worked for me,” he said.

Mia Laube can be reached at mia.laube@stthomas.edu.