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States,” Davidson said. Students in the cohorts claim a variety of backgrounds — with families from countries all over Central and South America, for example — and their majors are as diverse as they are: biology, education, philosophy, social work, kinesiology, and more. But Davidson said their shared experiences are key to creating the sense of community, a primary factor that has contributed to the cohorts’ near-perfect retention rate, despite the challenges first-generation students of color

expecting,” she said of the individualized experience. “I took every possible class you could take in the master’s program and created extra ones.” Christina Pepin, clinical assistant professor, studied at PLU for her undergraduate (2004) and graduate (2007) nursing degrees (she also earned undergraduate degrees in biology and English at the University of Wisconsin-Superior in 2001). She never planned on being a nurse, but eventually realized she had the gift of connecting with patients on a deeper