#SoCaltech: Madelyn Gilbert

“The relationships that I've made with friends, with mentors, with teammates are truly the things that are near and dear to my heart as I reflect on my time at Caltech. Two of my best friends graduated two years ahead of me—they were really integral in helping me acclimate to the social scene at Caltech.

“Caltech is very, very hard, and a big reason why I was able to get through it was my support system. My graduate student mentors have been amazing in helping me figure out what type of research I like to do, how I work in the lab, and then, outside of schoolwork, my friends, my boyfriend, my peers in my house—being part of that small community—that support system is probably what I’ll miss the most after I leave Caltech.

“Some of my best times here have been playing water polo and making friends on the team. That didn't come at the cost of my academics or giving up time elsewhere, but courses are so rigorous that you definitely do need some sort of outlet to help yourself decompress, and water polo was a huge outlet for me.

“I'm really proud of the breadth of knowledge that I've learned and the perseverance that it took to get to this point. I’m such a different person from the naive pre-frosh I was. The academic rigor here, it stretches you—but it ultimately makes you much stronger.”

Madelyn Gilbert, an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Sarah Reisman, will graduate in June with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She played on the Caltech women’s water polo team for four years, serving as its captain for two years. After graduation, she will pursue a doctorate in chemistry at Princeton University.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.