In a world where everyone is striving to win the race, Gaby Sifuentes began life two steps back from the starting line. She was born with spina bifida, a neural tube defect where a fetus’s spine fails to close completely during the first month of pregnancy, causing spinal column, cord or nerve damage.
“Hospitals, surgeries and recovery rooms became a familiar part of my life from an early age,” she said. “I spent days in hospital beds staring at ceilings, listening to machines beep and watching time move slowly as life outside continued. While others were planning their next step, I was often focused on literally putting one foot in front of another.”
Sifuentes grew up in the Gwinnett County area, where she said she developed a strong sense of community and a passion for helping others. She graduated from Lanier High School in 2021 and began attending Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) the same year.
“I chose GGC because of its supportive environment, smaller class sizes and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with professors,” she said. “I also appreciated the strong sense of community and the ability to get involved in leadership and service opportunities early on.”
Her decision to pursue psychology as a career stemmed from her formative years of struggling through an illness while maintaining emotional and mental stability.
“Those years gave me perspective and skills I would need in college and in life,” she explained. “They taught me that strength doesn't always look loud. Sometimes strength is quiet. Sometimes it's patience. Sometimes it's simply choosing to keep going.”
That strength would be tested throughout her college years, as she watched both of her parents struggle with their own health issues, and one of her best friends lose a battle with cancer in 2024.
“Grief, like illness, has a way of slowing everything down and changing the way you see the world,” she said. “There were days when it felt difficult to focus, celebrate and move forward. Meanwhile, in October of that same year, I was honored to be named the first Latina Homecoming Queen in the history of GGC. It made me realize that life does not pause for grief and sometimes joy finds you even when you are still healing.”
Sifuentes leaned on her GGC community to get her through the lows and delighted as it lifted her even higher during the good moments. Through that roller coaster ride, she said, she learned the true meaning of community.
“Being a Grizzly means supporting one another, celebrating each other's successes, and standing together during challenges,” she said.
Sifuentes says one of her favorite memories is serving as president of GGC’s Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), where she led events, workshops and community projects for the Latino student community. And OLAS was only one of several outlets she used to make the most of her time at GGC. She was also active in the Psychology club and the Grizzly Registered Organization Council.
“My time at GGC has been an incredible journey of growth, leadership, and connection,” she said. “The opportunities it provided challenged me, inspired me and shaped me into a resilient, driven, and community-minded leader ready to embrace what comes next.”
After graduation, Sifuentes plans to pursue a master’s degree in psychology or healthcare leadership to develop her skills further and amplify the positive impact she hopes to make.
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