LEADING BY EXAMPLE

By Karen Alley

I have not encountered another student as dedicated to helping out on the campus and in the community as Exel is. He is able to identify a need and really drill down to find out how he can help specifically.

— Liz Torres Melendez

WALKING ALONG THE TREE-LINED sidewalks of Guilford, Exel Estrada ’21 looks like any other college student. But just six years ago in Guatemala, he was working as a carpenter’s assistant and going to night classes. “I told my classmates I wanted to be in school forever because I really enjoy learning, and they thought I was crazy,” Exel says. “If you’re a carpenter you stay a carpenter all your life. I wanted more.”

At the age of 14, Exel’s life changed dramatically when he was able to join his mother in Baltimore, Md. “High school was a struggle in many ways,” Exel said. “I was having to learn English, take a full load of classes and work to help the family.” With the support of his teachers and guidance counselors, Exel not only performed well in high school but was able to earn a number of meritbased scholarships to help him attend Guilford College, including the Bonner Scholarship, the Eugene Thompson Scholarship and the Mirabelli-Heller Natural Sciences Award.

Today, Exel uses his experiences to help others struggling to find their way in America. The Biology and Health Sciences major volunteers as a guide for an after-school assistance program at Northeast Guilford High School, helping students explore post-high school options, and is developing a website of resources for immigrant students. “I know first-hand how important it is to have a support system in place to help you succeed in school,” Exel says.

Exel Estrada '21

Photo by Jenna Schad

That support system doesn’t stop with high school. Thanks to a gift from Jon Bostock ’99 and Marigny Bostock ’01, Guilford is the only school outside of California with an Immigrant Student Coordinator. Liz Torres Melendez serves as a resource for Exel and all of Guilford’s immigrant population, helping navigate the world of FAFSA applications, health services, residency determinations and much more. “At a campus without this service these students have to do the leg work themselves, and it’s a big emotional and mental strain,” Liz says.

Exel, who is interested in working in the healthcare field, also volunteers with Cone Health, Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I am really grateful for the scholarships that enabled me to attend college here,” Exel says. “They have not only given me the opportunity to pursue the education I always dreamed of, but also opened my eyes to so much more. I have the opportunity to give back to others through volunteer work, and also have met many new mentors and developed strong friendships. I was looking for a college with diversity and a great sense of community, and I found that here at Guilford College.”