Congratulations to the Guilford College’s graduating Bonners - Hsar “Ree Ree” Wei, Moe Reh, and Exel Valle-Estrada! Their time at Guilford has been marked with change and challenge, but their perseverance shines through in their success. Below, enjoy the profiles Guilford College published on these three 2021 graduates and find out how they're planning to go out into the world.
Hsar “Ree Ree” Wei
Hsar “Ree Ree” Wei ’21 was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. Fleeing oppression, her family emigrated to the United States in 2006. Ree Ree chose to study at Guilford College because of its investment in community-building, its caring atmosphere, and its close student-professor relationships.
She originally intended to study Criminal Justice, something wholly unrelated to the life in which she had grown up with her farmer parents. Ree Ree quickly discovered in her first course, however, that the Criminal Justice major, although a great program, wasn’t for her.
Discovering Her Path
After getting to know upper-class students and fellow Bonner Scholars, Ree Ree found what she wanted to study. “They told me about the community work they were doing and the outcomes of it, and I was drawn to that,” she explains. During her sophomore year, Ree Ree changed her major to Community and Justice Studies and added a minor in Forced Migration and Resettlement Studies. They were “a perfect fit,” she says, based on her early-life experience and budding interests.
As it turns out, Ree Ree further found her perfect fit at the farm where her family established a business in Chapel Hill. Before graduating from Guilford, she landed a job with Transplanting Traditions Community Farm, where she grew up among a community of women farmers and participated as a youth intern and then a youth coordinator.
As the farm’s Business Development Coordinator, Ree Ree conducts market and community assessments and determines the needs of the refugee members and their access to culturally appropriate food. Noting the increase in demand for Asian produce in particular, she explains that she finds out demographic information to assess how to expand food sourcing.
Gaining Wisdom
During her Guilford years, Ree Ree appreciated the way her professors and the College as a whole truly care about its students. She particularly notes the support of professors Krista Craven and Selena Wolf, who kept her motivated and engaged.
“They taught me ways to look at a situation and find a solution, not just fight against the system,” she says.
Ree Ree advises other students to take care of themselves, explore courses they’re interested in outside of their majors, and to study abroad.
“I would recommend investing in your community,” she says. “You'll discover how that experience can spark an interest into other amazing courses — all of which will enhance your chosen major.”
Moe Reh
Music and Education Studies double major
Classical guitarist Moe Reh '21 will attend the prestigious UNC School of the Arts in fall 2021 on a full scholarship.
In this video, find out why he chose Guilford College and what he'll remember about his time as a Guilfordian.
Exel Valle-Estrada
The American Dream has become a reality for Honors student Exel Valle-Estrada ’21. Thanks to his hard work, perseverance, and a deep concern for the community, Exel has excelled in the United States after fleeing Guatemala as a teenager.
He ended up in Baltimore City where, amid uncertainty and strife, he learned English, worked jobs, and attended school. He earned top marks and, when it came time to apply for college, he discovered Guilford when perusing the book, Colleges That Change Lives.
“Guilford stood out to me because it is a small institution and has a pre-med program, and its science department is small but mighty,” says Exel, a Health Sciences and Biology double major.
He was first introduced to science in high school and was in awe of what he learned about DNA. Then a personal experience led to his medical school aspirations. “I became interested in medicine while interpreting for my grandmother. I thought I could contribute to the field, and do a really good job.”
An Amazing Four Years
Exel, a Bonner Scholar, was involved in a variety of academic pursuits and community-service projects during what he calls an “amazing four years” at Guilford.
He completed an internship at New York University’s Genomics and Systems Biology Department, where he focused on four transcription factors that give rise to different neurons. The study could lead to treatments for conditions that are caused due to abnormal brain development. He also interned at the Baltimore City Health Department and with Greensboro Hospice and Palliative Services to explore specialties in medicine.
“There is so much that I don’t know about science and health care, and I think, for me, just knowing that drives me to work really hard to learn as much as I can,” he says.
[Read an article about Exel written by the Guilford College Office of Advancement.]
"I want to give back to my community because I know the power mentoring and tutoring can have when accessing higher education as a first-generation college student."
Exel Valle Estrada '21
Health Sciences, Biology double major
Exel has volunteered with Cone Health, Hospice, and the Alzheimer’s Association. He has also served as a mentor for immigrant high-school students, advocating about their options after high school.
“I work with students in different states because I know the importance of having a mentor in high school. And I want to give back to my community because I know the power mentoring and tutoring can have when accessing higher education as a first-generation college student,” he says.
[Read an article about Exel written by the Baltimore Sun.]
Exel also works as a medical interpreter and is involved in a community-based research project focused on Montagnard medicinal plants, specifically Crassocephalum crepidioides. Because of his work, in fall of 2020, he was awarded the N.C. Campus Compact’s Community Impact Student Award for leadership and service.
A Bright Future
The recent Guilford graduate will be spending his summer studying at the extremely selective Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine Annual Undergraduate Summer Scholars Program.
“I’ll be part of a team that focuses on finding nutritional and pharmacological strategies to prevent and treat Type 2 diabetes, obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome. I am really thrilled. I also hope to get a job as a research assistant.” After that, Exel has his sights set on medical school to become a bilingual physician providing care for underserved communities.
His advice for others pursuing medicine? “In addition to knowing the sciences, we have to develop specific skills to work with diverse communities. College is the perfect place to do that,” Exel explains. “I was very lucky to be part of the Bonner and Honors Program and attend a school where one of our Core Values is diversity.”