Alumna of the Week
Cheyenne Skinner
Class of 2011
What have you done since you graduated?:
"I went to Western Connecticut State University and got a Bachelor's Degree in Justice and Law Administration. While I was at Western, I worked at an elementary school, and I also worked at a middle school. I eventually got my Master's Degree in Social Work at Springfield College in Massachusetts. After that, I went to obtain my license in Social Work."
 
Why did you decide to work in social work, law, and justice?:
"I always wanted to give back to the community and make sure that I had a legacy of helping people reach their potential goals. I want to help people gain their independence."
 
What do you do now?:
"I own my own business, Acquired Learning solutions, which is an academic service leading Executive Functioning and Social and Emotional Learning. I am also an academic advisor at Turnbridge, an extended care addiction treatment provider for young adults and adolescents in New Haven. I help students with their education as they get help with substance abuse."
 
What do you remember from your time at Gilbert?:
"I remember all of my teachers. I also remember the camaraderie we all had together as students. I was always into sports, including basketball and cheerleading. Senior year was my favorite because I was part of the Yearbook Club."
 
Do you have any other family members who attended Gilbert?:
"Robert Skinner (Class of 2013), whose name is on one of the athletic banners in the gym. He graduated a few years before I did. He moved to Australia." 
 
What lessons from Gilbert did you carry over into the real world?:
"Things are always changing so we have to learn to adapt to what is going on in our society as a whole. Also, sometimes when it comes to where we want to go with our lives, in our head it might sound great, but you have to adjust to life. You have to find your way through different challenges. But you eventually overcome those challenges."
 
What advice would you give current students?
"Be open to more ideas. Mrs. Fiducia helped me to navigate that. I know that when I was planning out my life during my last two years at Gilbert, I found that sometimes things don't happen the way you plan them. But that does not mean that you are not going to be able to make it. Sometimes, you have to take some steps in-between to get to your goal. Always find ways to nurture your curiosity and creativity. But the best advice I could give is to live, learn, and always stay open to new ideas."