Ginger Rae McCartney Eng;ish Full-Time Counselor: Michelle Anderson

Hello, my name is Ginger Rae McCartney, and I'm a second-year English major. Initially, my transition from an underdeveloped high school and a poverty-stricken community to the hustle and bustle of UCLA proved entirely too overwhelming. As a first-generation college student, I felt alone and confused amongst what seemed like a mass of students who all appeared to know their way around both the campus and the university lifestyle. However, here I am, one year later, academically and socially adjusted to an extent I never imagined possible. AAP is the reason for this fairytale ending, as it provided me with tutoring, counseling, and endless possibilities for personal growth. The atmosphere in AAP has come to resemble that of a second family, and for that I consider myself truly blessed. And now as a peer counselor I have been offered the opportunity to give back to the AAP community. I would like to thank those individuals who offered their love and support in my time of need, and I hope to provide a similar source of strength and encouragement for this year's AAP students.