An orientation leader and peer mentor, Lucchetti is paving the way for the next generation of first gens.
Antonello Lucchetti hails from an Italian/Greek working-class family. “Neither my mom nor my dad finished high school,” he says, “but they’re my greatest role models. They showed me, by their example, that you don’t need things given to you in order to achieve.
“My dad didn’t come from much, yet he managed to build a business for himself in construction. He started out as a laborer, working for someone else, and then he used that field of experience to open his own business.
“My mom is the one who kept me working hard at school. I used to struggle in middle school, because I had a hard time focusing. She would sit down with me and work with me. Teachers in the school system wanted to baby me and put me in smaller classes, but my mom knew I could do college prep work. And I’ve proven it. My GPA is 3.4.”
Not only that, but this 20-year-old, who is double majoring in justice studies and sociology, has aspirations to work for the FBI. Currently in his junior year, he hopes to land an internship at the Providence Police Department next year.
“One of my brothers graduated from URI as a civil engineer, my other brother graduated from Eastern Connecticut with a business degree and my sister graduated from Johnson & Wales with a degree in business,” he says. “They’re also my greatest role models.
“My siblings would tell me why it’s important to go to college, which colleges to apply to and how to apply. I picked Rhode Island College because it offered me the most financial aid. Out-of-state schools didn’t offer any financial help.
“I also chose RIC because it felt more welcoming. My initial impression of the college turned out to be true – it’s a small community that makes you feel included. The professors and the staff really care about you and will really be there for you. I like that in a college, and I like that I’m not far from home.”
Being a first-generation college student never felt like a handicap for Lucchetti, he says. “I adjusted to college really well.”
His advice to first-year, first-gen students is “engage with the school, get to know the school. Go to as many events as you can. The more people you meet, the more connections you’ll make.”
Lucchetti is a member of the track & field team, an orientation leader and a peer mentor for incoming freshmen in the RIC 100 course.
As a peer mentor, throughout the semester, he checks in with the 28 freshmen in the course just to see how they’re doing and to find out if there’s anything they need. If so, he connects them with resources on campus.
In his own way, he’s just passing it on as his own role models did. He’s just paving the way for the next generation of first gens.