· 5 min read
First-gen grad returns to roots as a rural recruiter
Abel Covarrubias has found his passion hitting the road for Dear Old Nebraska U.
The first-generation college student and May 2014 University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate is one of the 18 recruiters that herald the university’s academic programs to potential students in Nebraska communities and across the nation. Nebraska’s rural recruitment program was recently featured in the Omaha World-Herald.
Since he started the gig in late 2015, Covarrubias has assisted future Huskers hailing primarily from central Nebraska, including his hometown of Grand Island.
“Each day, I get the opportunity to go into communities and meet face-to-face with high school students, sharing the opportunity that the University of Nebraska has to offer, and helping the students make informed college decisions,” Covarrubias said. “It’s a hugely important role that I find great joy in.
“And, it is a way for me to give back to a university that has given me so much.”
Growing up in Grand Island, Covarrubias repeatedly heard about the importance of attending college. And, while it was something he wanted to pursue, finding information about how the process worked was difficult. The path cleared when Covarrubias was selected to be a part of the Nebraska College Preparatory Academy.
Launched by the university in 2006, the academy helps first-generation and low-income high school students achieve academic success and attend college. Funded primarily by grants and charitable contributions, every academy graduate in the since 2013 has gone on to college. Academy members also records better college first-year retention and graduate rates than other university students.
Covarrubias was one of the first Huskers to graduate from the academy.
“Exposure through the College Preparatory Academy helped me realize where I needed to be and how I could succeed at the University of Nebraska,” Covarrubias said. “Without the care and support provided through the academy, my college story would have been a much different conversation.
“The assistance I provide students today as a recruiter is modeled after my experience in the College Prep Academy.”
At Nebraska, Covarrubias was a double major in finance and economics, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business. After graduation, he found professional success with a Lincoln-based bank software company. While the work was rewarding, Covarrubias felt a pull to return to the university.
“The opportunity to be a recruiter and connect directly with students in Nebraska communities, especially those who are first-generation like I am, was too good to pass up,” Covarrubias said. “I also really liked the idea of helping out kids in and around Grand Island.”
During the fall semester, Nebraska’s recruiters are on the road, visiting nearly every high school in the state, between September and mid-November. Events range from large college fairs that draw students from many schools to one-on-one meetings with students and families.
Nebraska recruiters return to the road after the first of the year, assisting students who have additional questions and who may be undecided about their college choice.
Covarrubias recently has transitioned to an assistant director post with Nebraska’s Office of Admissions. In the new role, he is working to be more intentional about melding diversity into community outreach efforts.
“This has allowed me an increased chance to interact directly with student populations that often need more assistance — like those who come from bilingual families or who will be the first generation to attend college,” Covarrubias said. “Frankly, many of those families are similar to mine and the situation I was in.”
His ability to speak Spanish has proven especially useful as word of his work spreads through communities.
“Many times, I’ll get a call from a family I’ve never worked with, but they were given my name because I helped a neighbor’s son or daughter,” Covarrubias said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that a positive interaction with one bilingual family can build to another through word of mouth within a community.”
While the hours on the road can be long, the end result is rewarding for all members of the Nebraska recruiting team.
“Our team takes pride in the fact that we visit with students from nearly every school in Nebraska’s 93 counties,” Covarrubias said. “Sometimes you walk into a room and there are 15-plus kids ready to learn about Nebraska. Other times, it’s one or two. But, each one of those encounters is important.
“We want every Nebraska student to know that this land-grant university is there for them and that earning a Big Ten degree is an obtainable goal for anyone — regardless of their situation.”
