Elda G.

What’s been the best opportunity for you at CU?

The greatest opportunity for me was to be able to attend CU: Boulder because I heard many great things about the institution when I was still in high school and when I was able to actually visit, I immediately fell in love with the campus. Buildings like the different libraries, the 3^rd and 4^th floor UMC study rooms, Fleming are all places I enjoy being in when I spend time on campus.  The main thing that worried me was finances as I relied heavily on scholarships to be able to attend university and I am very grateful to the BBC scholarship for giving me the opportunity to attend the university where I was able to be a part of many different groups such as CHAMP and ASA and involved in a variety of activities like being a UGTA or performing for Tour of Africa. I genuinely appreciate the variety of endeavors and activities present in the university and I couldn’t have asked for a greater place to attend.

How has COVID-19 changed school for you?

Due to the pandemic school life has definitely been a unique experience and has offered many challenges, however there is always room to look for a bright side. When the libraries closed and switched to remote services it kind of created a bit of financial burden because I had been working at the library since freshman year as work study so now that they closed I had to become a bit hyperaware of finances in addition to adapting to the new format since all of my classes were online. Due to this, I decided to take it slow and not pack my schedule with too many classes. Through this I was able to assess and improve on my studying skills since I now have more free time and can structure my day better around my school demands which has helped me improve on my academic performance so even though the format has been very different, it has given me room to evaluate my studying habits and how I could improve my use of each day while still doing things that I enjoy.

How has the scholarship helped you?

The scholarship has been a key factor in my experience that has not only given me the assistance that I needed but also allowed me to engage with an aspect of campus that I was not even aware of previously! The scholarship definitely gave me a sense of ease as I did not have to stress as much about finances, which provided me with time necessary to keep up with my classes and other activities. This included attending events about future career paths that allowed me to better solidify what my passions truly were and what career path I could pursue. In addition, I was also able to be a part of a graduate student’s project which was an afterschool program for children at an elementary school, where we created superhero stories based on a family member that they chose. This became one of my greatest memories of college experience and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the scholarship. In addition, the annual Buffalo Bicycle Classic is an event that I really enjoyed attending and taught me to appreciate just how diverse the campus truly is. Being a part of the event was something I looked forward to each year, cheering people on as they reached the finish line and even the lunch session afterwards where everyone could enjoy a meal with friends and family. I appreciate everything that the scholarship has allowed me to do and the contribution that it made to giving me a successful and memorable college experience.