Duane Bonifer  |   Published March 17, 2021

From Campus Guest to Student

Goldsborough Scholar Michelle Gutierrez excited to launch her medical school career at Monmouth.
Biology

MONMOUTH, Ill. – Michelle Gutierrez of Chicago has been familiar with Monmouth College for almost a decade.

MICHELLE GTIERREZ: ?I always knew that (Monmouth) was going to be one of my top choices.? MICHELLE GTIERREZ: “I always knew that (Monmouth) was going to be one of my top choices.”Now she is ready to experience it as a student.

The Benito Juarez Community Academy senior has been named one of two Goldsborough Scholars at the national liberal arts college.

Monmouth’s most prestigious scholarship, the Goldsborough Scholars is a full-tuition, four-year scholarship worth more than $160,000 that recognizes outstanding students from the Chicagoland area who have consistently demonstrated academic excellence throughout their high school careers and who embody the mission and values of Monmouth, as evidenced by leadership, service, civic engagement and cocurricular commitments.

Gutierrez first encountered Monmouth when she visited her cousin Jazmin Perez, who is a member of the Class of 2014.

“When I would visit her at Monmouth, I was like, ‘I want to be like her,’ so I decided that I would try to come here when I was older. I always knew that I was going to apply, I always knew that it was going to be one of my top choices,” said Gutierrez. “Obviously, what attracted me when I was younger was the bouncy houses and all that stuff they would have on campus during Family Weekend.”

Gutierrez left bouncy houses behind a long time ago, and she’s now focused on becoming a doctor.

“I’ve never had a Plan B,” said Gutierrez, who plans to major in biology. “I have always said that I wanted to be a doctor. I think it was established when I had to do CPR on a random stranger. I remember my uncle telling me, ‘These are the moments that define if you want to do this or if you get scared and decide that you don’t want to do it.’ But then I just said, ‘Yes, this is what I want to do for sure, 100%.’”

A National Honor Society student, Gutierrez has been president of her school’s drama club; she served as parliamentarian for Future Health Professionals; and she participated in the Medicina Academy Apprentice Program, Working on Womanhood and Nerdy Media. She has also volunteered with several school and community organizations.

In addition to preparing for medical school, Gutierrez plans to become involved with Monmouth’s vibrant campus life. She hopes to study abroad and become involved in the James and Sybil Stockdale Fellows Program as well as Greek life.

“One of my big interests is studying abroad – I really want to go places,” said Gutierrez. “I don’t know where I want to study abroad yet, but I’ll figure it out when I’m there. I also want to meet just as many people as I can, do as many things as I can and just try to figure out what I want to do in life.”

The Goldsborough Scholars program honors former Monmouth Board of Trustees Chair William J. Goldsborough and his wife, Beverly. William Goldsborough is a 1965 Monmouth graduate.

Meet Michelle Gutierrez …

Listen Up …

Michelle Gutierrez discusses her decision to attend Monmouth; interview begins at 14:11 mark.
Biology

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