Isabella Gil Appreciates all the Opportunities NJIT and the US Give Her
Isabella Gil ’24 always tries to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. After leaving her native Venezuela, she came to the United States and looked for different ways to integrate into her new community. Getting to NJIT required a lot of effort, but now that she is here, she feels proud of her achievements and all that’s ahead of her.
Architecture has always interested her as a profession, as well as graphic design, interior design and fashion design.
“It was a little difficult to see all my [high school] friends graduating in Venezuela together, while I was already in the United States,” says Gil. “But at the same time there are many sacrifices I had to make to fit in, I joined a fashion club, a history club, all of that gave me more opportunities. With the history club, you could travel and learn, so I always liked to be involved in a variety of things.”
She remembers how joining a debate club allowed her to leave behind the shyness she had when speaking English. Being part of that club made her prepare speeches on political issues, in places like Princeton or Washington, D.C. Those experiences taught her to confidently speak English.
After graduating from Union City High School, Gil knew she needed to work to have enough money to enter Hudson County Community College and study engineering sciences, which earned her the required credits to get into NJIT.
She joined the NJIT School of Architecture in 2019, and today interns three days a week at MVMK’s Hoboken office. Last semester she earned two awards: the Architecture Excellence in Design Award and the Jarmel Kizel Architects and Engineers Endowed Scholarship.
“With the internship, I'm going three times a week, and I also work as a waitress on the weekends in Hoboken as well. Time-management has been very important,” Gil said. “There is no time that is not designed. I always have something to do, so I try to organize my time well enough to be able to accomplish everything.”
Gil appreciates the facilities that MVMK provides her, so that she can also focus on her studies. “I love it because they give me flexibility, if for example I have finals or exams, I tell them in advance, and they give me the time off to focus only on school,” she says.
This past summer, along with NJIT professors and classmates, Gil had the opportunity to visit Austria and Venice. The visit to Austria was special because she met and talked with one of the architects she admires, Wolf D. Prix.
“We talked to him, they gave us a tour of the firm and showed us how they make their models, how they have the ideas, how they have their teams separated, who does what,” Gil described. “So it was pretty cool to be exposed to those things, since I've only worked in one place, I also don't want to feel like I'm in a bubble and don't know how other places work. It helped me a lot to broaden my perspective.”
“We have a lot of really excellent students in our program, but Isabella stands out. Her determination to succeed is matched only by the evolution of her design skills and aesthetic,” said Interim Chair for New Jersey’s School of Architecture and Professor Darius Sollohub, “To be mentored in an internship is extremely important in becoming an architect and Isabella has found considerate professionals at MVMK who clearly care about her development. Given her drive, her talent, and now excellent guidance, I have no doubt Isabella is on a path to great success.”
In the future, Gil is interested in getting involved in large-scale urban planning projects, but she has a special space for public buildings, such as museums, libraries or cultural museums. “I feel that architecture has more meaning when it has different layers,” she says, referring to how she likes to create her designs.
It fills me with pride to know that being from another country does not stop you, rather it gives you more possibilities if you put in the effort.
Since arriving in the United States, Gil has not visited Venezuela; part of her family still lives there. “I miss the landscapes a lot. I have not returned since I left Venezuela. I have family that I have not seen again, but it makes me very happy to know that they know that being here I am exposed to many opportunities.
“If I were still in Venezuela, I would not be studying architecture, I don’t know if I’d still be studying because there are many problems with the universities, they are always on strike or have no professors. I am grateful to be here,” she added.
She wants her story to be an example for other young people who may experience something similar in the United States.
“Each of the achievements that I make, or recognitions that they give me, I say, ‘Wow, an immigrant who comes from Venezuela, who did not start her education here, a person like me can do it, other people can also achieve it.’ It fills me with pride to know that being from another country does not stop you, rather it gives you more possibilities if you put in the effort,” she concluded.
