Satoria Ray

As a first-generation student, I had no idea what to expect going into college. When I heard of UTOP at Admitted Students Day, I knew it was something that I both wanted and needed to be a part of and I wasn’t wrong. The UTOP program helped me transition from high school by providing me with knowledgeable mentors, showing me all the resources that UNC Charlotte has, and allowing me to meet students with different backgrounds than mine. The UTOP program also exposed me to all the organizations that UNC Charlotte has to offer and I wouldn’t be the leader I am if it weren’t for the foundation of leadership that UTOP helped build.

Throughout my time at UNC Charlotte I have become an Orientation Counselor, a Niner Guide, a member of the Communication Studies Honors Program, and most recently, in the summer before my final year at UNC Charlotte, a UTOP Mentor. Being a mentor was my chance to give back to a program that gave me so much. It was an honor serving as a mentor for 92 first-year students and helping them navigate the transition into college. UTOP is a program that’s very well-known on campus because of all the good it does for its participants. It’s a program that will set you up for a successful collegiate career at UNC Charlotte and allow you to grow into a lifelong leader.