Although she navigated a significant personal loss, Thailyah M. is wrapping up her senior year at Gateway High School in San Francisco, California, on a high note. This Girl on the Rise is looking at West Coast colleges and is planning for the pre-med track to pursue her dream of being a physician’s assistant.

What is something you are most proud of?

I am most proud of pushing through my senior year.

Have you gone through any tough or challenging times? If yes, how did you deal with those challenges?

When my grandmother passed away it was a challenging time for me because she was all I had. She raised me since I was a baby. At first, I wanted to drop out of school, but then I knew she would not have wanted me to go that route. I dealt with this challenge by pushing myself. I knew my grandmother would not have wanted me to dwell in grief and not do something with my life.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Girl on the Rise?

It means that I can follow my dreams as a Black woman who wants to pursue higher education. Being selected to be part of this program allows me to grow as a young woman.

What inspired you to want to be involved with Girls on the Rise?

Knowing that there is a program that helps women obtain higher education is my inspiration. I also wanted to be involved because I want to learn different college tips so that I can thrive.

How will funding from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals? In other words: Why is the opportunity to visit your prospective colleges important to your journey?

Visiting these colleges are important to my college journey because I want to have a sense of where I will be spending the next four years of my life.

What schools will you use the funding to visit, and why?

I will visit University of Southern California and Arizona State University. I am interested in these schools because they have good social work and health sciences programs.