The RISE Postsecondary Success team partners with CT high schools to ensure that all students graduate on time and complete milestones for their identified postsecondary plans. Throughout the month of June, we will be celebrating the accomplishments of graduating seniors in our core network schools. Their dedication, hard work, and resilience have led them to this important goal. Congratulations to the class of 2023!
Today, we are sharing an interview with Gianna Thomas (above) from Middletown High School.
What is your plan, after you graduate high school?
Gianna: I will be attending Yale University’s Biomedical Engineering program. I would like to focus on infectious disease epidemiology and public health.
Have you received any scholarships or special acknowledgments?
Gianna: I received a Gates Scholarship, GE Reagan Foundation Scholarship ($10,000), and Coca-Cola Scholarship, and was accepted as an Engineering Scholar at Yale University.
What support did you receive to help you form your postsecondary plan?
Gianna: There were a lot of different supports, but I feel my partnership with Wesleyan was very impactful. Also, my coursework at MxCC allowed me to get involved outside of Middletown High School and connect with professors. They were instrumental in helping me identify my major and helped me publish my research.
What are you most proud of, as you look back on your high school experience?
Gianna: I’m proud of pushing myself past the limits others had set for me, to go beyond and be the most extra I can be. I applied to 70 schools!! I gained a lot of confidence opening 68 acceptance letters.
What are you most looking forward to, as you look ahead to the future?
Gianna: Going to college for free! As a first-generation student that comes from a working-class family, Yale was a pipe dream. I didn’t know if it would be possible. I am really looking forward to medical school as well. Knowing that my tuition is covered has taken a lot of the pressure and worry off of me.
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