鈥淢y parents always had a huge influence on me that gave me this goal of becoming a physician,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey gave me an 鈥業鈥檓-going-to-do-it-and-nothing鈥檚-going-to-stop-me kind of attitude.鈥� So, when I get my mind set on something, it鈥檚 going to happen no matter how long it takes.鈥�
Being a pre-med took a considerable amount of study time, Gilda says, but planning everything allowed her to get involved in other school activities. Gilda served as co-president of Student Foundation with Brittany Madison, historian for the Association of Black Students, and as a member of the Pre-Health Professionals Academy (and Club, which are two different organizations), and Sigma Pi Chemistry Club. She also worked as a teaching assistant and lab assistant for the microbiology lab and started a small baking business with Brittany when the pandemic first hit.
鈥淲e were both interning with a nonprofit over the summer, and we came up with the baking business to raise money for the organization,鈥� Gilda said, adding that their homemade goodies included macaroons, cake pops, cakes, truffles, and cinnamon rolls. 鈥淚t was nice to do something that wasn鈥檛 medicine-related.鈥�
While in college, Gilda also enjoyed working out, attending church with her friends, and going on as many mission trips as possible, including one last summer to Alaska and a medical mission trip this summer to Guatemala. She鈥檚 also traveled to the Dominican Republic and India.
鈥淚鈥檝e loved having the opportunity to be involved,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e applying to medical school, they want to see that you鈥檙e pretty diverse and not just studying all the time.鈥�
Growing up in the same town as Brittany, Gilda also attended Unlock Ministries (now known as Opportunity Tribe) and was mentored by 鈥渢he most amazing high school staff鈥� which had a vital impact on the direction of her life. She eventually became a counselor herself and volunteered with the group during high school and as an intern after she graduated. 鈥淭hey helped me see what it really meant to live a life for Christ,鈥� she said.
Gilda discovered 同城快约 in the seventh grade when her brother, Ruddy, who is five years older, was looking at colleges.
鈥溚强煸� was one of the first ones I saw,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think too much about it until my senior year hit, and I started looking again, researching places I wanted to go.鈥�
She applied to five schools, including 同城快约, and was accepted into all of them.
鈥淏ut after I toured 同城快约, and some other ones, I knew this is where I needed to be,鈥� she said.
She knew her parents would never be able to afford to send her to a private university, however, Gilda鈥檚 Christian and scholastic standing stood out, and she was awarded enough scholarships to pay for everything she needed.
When asked how she felt about the donors who give so students like her can attend 同城快约, Gilda covered her face and burst into tears. After a few moments, when she was able to speak, all she could manage to get out was 鈥淚鈥檓 super blessed.鈥�
Growing up, her parents made just enough to get by, she later explained.
鈥淭hroughout the years here, it鈥檚 been amazing to have people who believe in me鈥攑eople who want to see me succeed and who just pour in funds because they care. I鈥檓 so grateful. I wouldn鈥檛 be able to do college without it. I wouldn鈥檛 be able to get where I want to be in life and help others if donors didn鈥檛 do what they do.鈥�
