Gabriella Moreno: From Culture Shock to Confidence

MEET Gabriella Moreno ‘22

Since the age of 14, Gabriella Moreno – Gabi to her friends – dreamed of moving to America. While in high school she explored her options looking at large universities in Florida and California. With the average tuition around $60,000, there was no way she could afford a college education without a scholarship.
After several applications fell through, she decided to attend a university closer to her home in Malawi, Southeast Africa.

As Moreno prepared applications, she received a phone call that would later change her life.
“A family friend called me to talk about college, and she told me she went to GoldeyBeacom 10 years ago,” says Moreno. “She contacted the College and helped me enroll in the Business Administration program with a concentration in Organizational Psychology. I was so happy to be accepted, and I received scholarships,” said Moreno noting that the scholarships were the only reason she could attend.

Moreno expected to arrive at a huge campus, but when her aunt dropped her off, she was shocked to literally see the end of the campus from the Jones Center.

Moreno said the most difficult part about coming to GBC was adjusting to a different culture and being on her own. She said, “My mother is a single parent, so I’m used to being with her. Coming here and not having her present was very difficult. Until now, the hardest thing in life that I faced is losing one of my best friends in a car accident in 2014. I think that experience has made me a stronger person.”

Her first year was unlike anything she imagined. In fact, Moreno was miserable. She first sought out people who shared her same culture and was rather worried about losing her accent. South Africans are proud of their heritage and culture, so while it was good to learn about new cultures, she didn’t want to lose her own.

She soon realized that almost everyone else was engaged with the GBC community – except her. As she slowly came to that realization, she became more involved, first signing up to become an RA (Resident Assistant), and then a student worker. She opened her world to more than just people who shared the same culture, but to people who also shared her values, morals and principles. And then, everything changed.

Sometimes Moreno wants to turn back the clock to freshman year. “That was my best year in terms of freedom,” she said. “I’m at an age where I have no responsibilities, and I’m not paying a mortgage. This is the time to explore and find out who you are. And even if you don’t find out in your first, second or third year, that’s fine. I still don’t know what I want to do, and I’m close to graduating. I’m definitely signing up for the master’s program at Goldey-Beacom, so I have time.”

Moreno is an easygoing person who loves to experience life and engage in different types of learning opportunities. As she heads toward earning a degree in Organizational Psychology, she still isn’t sure what she wants to do. But really, that only means one thing – the entire world is open!

Moreno plans to specifically explore the cosmetics and skincare industry as well as owning a business. Ultimately, what matters to her most is being happy. “I’ve seen people working for the sake of money, but I just want to be happy doing what I’m doing.” said Moreno. “And I want to help people back home. I want to give children a better opportunity back home.”

This article was previously featured in The Goldey-Beacom College Magazine