Being a Dreamer: Raquel Ramirez ‘26GS on her Winding Path to Columbia

For years, Columbia felt like a distant dream for Raquel Ramirez ‘26GS. But through grief, caregiving, personal recovery, and one pivotal promise to her mother, she found her way—proving that some dreams endure, no matter how many times life intervenes.

Tell us about your path to GS.

Attending Columbia had been my dream since I was a little girl. I filled out the application three times over the years, the first time during my senior year of high school. But life had other plans.

I started at community college instead, and my freshman year was everything I'd hoped for. Then, at the beginning of my sophomore year, my brother unexpectedly passed away. Within the same week, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. After laying my brother to rest, I moved to California to become my grandfather's full-time caregiver. A year later, when he went into remission, I came back and picked up where I'd left off.

Then, one ordinary afternoon, while crossing the street on my way home, I was struck by a car that ran a red light. I suffered a traumatic brain injury, a broken collarbone, and lacerations across my body. I couldn't talk. I couldn't walk. I withdrew from classes and spent six months on bed rest. Somewhere between the hospital bed and the grief, Columbia began to feel like one of those childhood dreams I would have to accept would never come true.

I had always been a dreamer — something that wasn't exactly celebrated where I came from. But I was exhausted. I had spent my whole life getting back up every time life knocked me down, and this time, I didn't have anything left. I decided I was done. I told my mom I didn't want to go to college anymore.

She was crushed. Out of her five children, I had always been the only one who wanted to go. I'd been a straight-A student since kindergarten, holding onto my GPA through every hardship life threw at me. My mom had made it to college but never finished. My brother had died in August, just months before he would have graduated in December. Education meant everything to our family and I was about to walk away from it.

I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't have any fight left in her either. But before she turned to leave the room, she said quietly, "Mija, no matter what we've been through, you have never lost my smile…..until now." Tears filled her eyes and in that moment, something inside me broke open. The heartache I had been carrying since my brother died became unbearable. I realized I wasn't just letting go of my dream. I was letting go of the dream my mother never got to finish, and the one my brother never got to see through.

Before she made it out of the room, I made her a deal. I told her I would apply to one school. Just one. If I got in, I would go. If I didn't, she would have to accept my decision to walk away.

After a long recovery, I finished my associate's degree, earned my EMT certification, and transferred to Columbia GS.

What has been your proudest moment at Columbia?

One of my proudest moments at Columbia was earning official club recognition for FL@GS, (First-Generation and/or Low-Income at GS) a student group I helped build. Creating this community was deeply personal to me. As a first-generation student myself, I know firsthand how overwhelming the journey can be, and I never wanted another student to feel the way I once did. Seeing FL@GS become a recognized organization means that the students who come after me will have a space, a support system, and a community to turn to.

Tell us about a person at Columbia that was instrumental to you during your time at GS.

During my time at Columbia, three people have been truly instrumental to my journey: Shantel Clarke-Ross, Ashley Moody-Astwood, and Irene Rodriguez. What sets these women apart is not just the roles they played, but the depth of care they brought to them. They became my mentors in the fullest sense of the word; they invested not only in my academic success, but in my professional growth, and personal well-being. They have walked with me through both triumphs and challenges, offering guidance without judgment, and support without condition. Whenever academic commitments, work obligations, and family responsibilities conflicted with each other, these three women offered a listening ear and a steady sounding board. I am deeply grateful for each of them.

What advice would you give to a student who's about to start their GS journey?

Advisors are incredibly helpful, but other students are your most valuable resource. There is something irreplaceable about surrounding yourself with peers who are on the same journey; people who can meet you exactly where you are, because they remember what it felt like to be confused, overwhelmed, or unsure of the next step. They offer the kind of honest, been-there advice that no handbook can replicate: how to manage your course load, where to find a good study group, and how to navigate all the unwritten expectations that no one tells you about. And perhaps most importantly, even when they don't have it all figured out, they are willing to figure it out alongside you.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I plan to take a gap year and pursue medical school.