Admist the finals week chaos, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gabby Gambino to talk about being a female Augustana student in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and the roles she plays in multiple campus organizations. When she’s not in the physics classroom, you can find Gabby in the OSL office helping to plan the next big campus event. I have gotten to know Gabby personally these past few months and she is an absolutely stunning human being inside and out.
Hometown: Elgin, IL
Year: Junior
Major(s)/Minor(s): Engineering/Physics major
Campus involvement: Office of Student Life (OSL), Augustana College Physics and Engineering Society (APES), Women’s Volleyball Team Manager, Delti Chi Theta sorority, Her Campus
So you’re a badass female in STEM, can you talk a little bit about that?
I’m an engineering/physics major and a part of the APES club—I like to pretend that I’m a badass. I spent the summer in Houston, TX working on site of a luxury apartment building, mostly with architectural finishes (ceramic tiles, laminate, paint, carpet, etc.) and request for information (which are how each branch in the development process communicate during the design or construction processes). I’m also going to be traveling to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria on a study abroad this summer specialized for the engineering majors this summer, so that’s pretty exciting.
Why is gender representation in STEM important to you?
It’s not only important to me; it’s imperative for the success of our future generations. Gender representation in STEM is crucial if we are to see the world in the most purest and accurate of ways. Multiple perspectives can not only provide answers to preexisting questions but introduce new and thought provoking questions that might otherwise have been overlooked. As a woman I encourage any woman with even the smallest interest or talent in math or science to pursue engineering. It opens up so many doors by just having it on your resume and you are most likely far more capable to succeed than you give yourself credit for.
Besides being involved in STEM, I hear you also were in charge of Homecoming this past fall… what was that like?
It was an incredible experience. Homecoming provided me with a platform for all kinds of self-realization. I am far more capable than I give myself credit for sometimes. I feel my best when I’m running a large event or in charge of a team of people and I was pushed outside of my comfort zone. For example, speaking in front of 600 plus people was new and different—and it was great. I thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone who was part of the committee. I gained a lot of self-confidence and I’m excited for next year.
What else do you look most forward to your senior year?
Discovering my path. Wrapping up my time here at Augustana is saddening but at the same time I’m exited for change. I love new experiences and pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I’m excited to journey towards my career, hold executive positions for Homecoming, Student Life Programming Board (SLPB), and possibly Sloughfest and APES. I’m all about action and I have a feeling that senior year will be action packed.
What is your spirit animal?
So I had to take an online quiz for this because I really didn’t know! But it said that I’m a lion.
“In the realm of spirit animals, the lion wins the prize for most relentless fighter in the face of life challenges. The lion spirit animal represents courage, strength in overcoming difficulties.”
So there ya go.
What’s your greatest memory at Augustana so far?
I’d say that Italy was by far the best experience that I’ve gotten from Augustana, that was incredible. But this year, junior year, has been a great year. I gained a lot of knowledge of myself and love for my friends, but every year seems to get better.