Originally from Hillsborough, N.C., Alina discovered Guilford through the Golden Door Scholars, a full-ride scholarship that helps first-generation college students.
 
“I knew right away that it was the kind of the college I wanted to be part of,” she shares. “While at Guilford I’ve had the opportunity to see Latinx students in leadership positions. I’ve always felt like my identity mattered here.”
 
And once she was here, finding her community was easy, she says.
 
“I was in the Honors Program from my first year to the first semester of my senior year. I took part in MLSP from my sophomore year to my senior year,” she says. “I was also a PPS scholar in 2019-20, the next year I was a TA, and as a senior I was a Student Fellow.”
 
And, reader, there’s more.
 
“I was part of the Community Scholars Program for work study. I was a coordinator for Soy un Lider, and I was a club member and then Vice President and President of Hispanos Unidos de Guilford. And as a senior, I had the opportunity to join the Bonner Program as a scholar and an intern,” she adds.
 
Alina’s focus and determination have been noticed by her peers and professors. She was recognized during the spring 2022 semester with an Excellence Brought to Light Award for her participation in organizing Guilford’s Soy Un Lider conference.

Finding Her Purpose

Alina is also extremely active in the Latinx community. “Spaces at Guilford, including Guided Discovery and the IEC, have shown me that women of color in power are a necessity for success,” she says. 
 
She particularly notes Paula Hernandez, the previous Latinx Community Coordinator and Associate Director of the Intercultural Engagement Center, as a mentor. 
 
“Paula helped me understand my purpose at Guilford and how I could best utilize my time to get the most out of my time here,” Alina says. “She inspired me every day and pushed me to believe in myself. I now know that I can be a resource to Latinx students with my own story and that I am more than capable of furthering my education by attending graduate school.”

Uplifting Health Care

Alina recently completed an internship at Moses Cone Hospital, where she worked in the Acute Rehab Department. She says that this experience helped her decide to apply to graduate school to become a Physician Assistant. 
 
“I helped physical and occupational therapists complete treatments and monitor patient mobility. My adviser, Craig Eilbacher, helped me obtain the internship through his close ties, who have now have been added to my network. This internship opened up a job offer for me,” she explains. “In the summer and until the fall I will work for Cone Health as a Cardiac Mobility Specialist as I prepare to apply to PA programs.”
 
Alina says she believes that everyone has a right to health care, no matter their status or income. 
 
“There is always an answer, and there is always support that can be provided, and I want to help students find that,” she says. “I want to add more Latinx faces to the worlds of health care and education. I want to become a PA, and when the time is right, I want to come back into higher education to help those who share my immigration status of being undocumented."

Pursuing Her Passions

Alina says Guilford encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone to pursue her passions.
 
“I pushed myself, with the help of faculty and staff, to take on leadership positions and I’m so glad I did. I’ve been working to find my voice and escape the image of a people pleaser. I feel more independent and confident in my decisions, in my views, and in my work,” she shares. “I love that Guilford pushes each student to speak their mind. We are encouraged to do what we believe is right by implementing new clubs and new programs or trying new things.”
 
Alina says Guilford has shaped her into the person she is today. She encourages future students to step out of their comfort zones, too, and fully experience what an impact they can have when put to the test.

Are you looking for a North Carolina college with a Physician Assistant program? If like Alina you want to pursue a career as a PA, schedule your visit to Guilford College to learn more about the Health Sciences major and the Pre-Physician Assistant program.