JDC University Scholarship Provides Much More Than Traditional Education for Argentina Student

Gisela’s passion for Biology was began while she was in high school. She has carried this passion with her to Buenos Aires University where she is an excellent student. The Biology program is more demanding than others, so students must devote their time to studying and often cannot work at the same time.

Gisela lives with her mother, a biochemist who works at the Buenos Aires University Public Hospital as head of its laboratory and is also a professor at Buenos Aires University. Gisela's two older sisters also live with her and her mother. The older one attends the Seminary for Rabbinic Studies and the other one is studying law. The four women cherish their home and their studies and value having such wonderful access to knowledge. The economic crisis Argentina continues to face though has left even people like Gisela’s mother, an expert in Biochemistry, in a tough economic situation. Gisela and her sisters worried about their future and realized they needed a way to pay for school supplies and bus transportation (tuition at Buenos Aires University is free for students). That was when Gisela approached JDC for help and applied for the Buncher University Scholarship program.

Since receiving her scholarship, Gisela has felt her whole life change for the better. Thanks to JDC, she was not only able to continue her studies but also participates as a volunteer within the Jewish community she used to be so close to. Gisela now spends her free time participating in Hillel activities, where she has made good friends through her volunteer work.

She remembers fondly the day they set up a library with audio material and toy manufacturing for children. Gisela enjoys her volunteering and knows that she is helping others in need, just as she was helped by JDC.