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Daniela Riera

4,955

Bold Points

2x

Nominee

2x

Finalist

Bio

Hello! My name is Daniela Riera, but everyone calls me Dani. My birthplace is Venezuela located in South America and I moved here on Nov.6 16, 2016. My main goal is to have two majors. I would feel that I would complete all my dreams when I have my major's diploma right in my hand on my graduation day. I aspire to be a Performance Musician and also teach. I also aspire to be an amazing Dermatologist. Right now, I'm a student enrolled in Rollins College located in Florida, Winter Park. I consider myself as a girl who is ambitious and hates to be in my comfort zone. I have so many wishes in my life and always try my best to become a better person each day. This is why I made this profile here in Bold because money issues in my life should not be a barrier and make me stop pursuing my degrees in college and I would to get help. I love studying a lot, I love preparing myself because I believe that the more I prepare myself for my future, the bigger the results will be. Even though I suffered before when I was living in my country, due to, the insecurity, all the political issues, and the economic issues around Venezuela, I still want to pursue not one career, but two careers not only for me also for my entire family. I want them to be proud of me, and make them feel that all the sacrifices they did so that I and my sister can be safe were worth it. I need your guys to help so I can become the best version of myself and have the opportunity to make this world a better world. I love to play sports, music, sing, and spend time with my family, friends, and of course, in class!

Education

Rollins College

Bachelor's degree program
2020 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Music Performance, General
  • Minors:
    • Music, General
  • GPA:
    3.8

Rollins College

Bachelor's degree program
2020 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Music Performance, General
  • Minors:
    • Music, General
  • GPA:
    3.8

Rollins College

Bachelor's degree program
2020 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Music Performance, General
  • Minors:
    • Music, General
  • GPA:
    3.8

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Music

    • Dream career goals:

      Teach

    • Hostess

      San Jose's Mexican Restaurant
      2019 – 20201 year

    Sports

    Volleyball

    Intramural
    2018 – 20202 years

    Research

    • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

      Internet — Student
      2019 – Present
    • Clinical Psychology

      Internet.
      2020 – 2020

    Arts

    • FSYO

      Music
      concerts
      2017 – 2019

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Lake Brantley High School — Student
      2019 – 2020
    • Volunteering

      Lake Brantley High School — Student
      2017 – 2018
    • Volunteering

      Bach Festival — Volunteer.
      2020 – Present
    • Volunteering

      Spanish Honor Society — Reading stories, and singing.
      2017 – 2018
    • Volunteering

      FSYO — Volunteer.
      2018 – 2020

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Marcus Yates Giving A Care Scholarship
    Austin Kramer Music Scholarship
    I made this playlist based on what type of music I like and how somehow it describes me in each song or how each song gets the best part of me or the best feeling. I divided my playlist based on the decades or also different types of genres. I like Classical Music to Music that is popular right now. My playlist is not focused on only one type of genre, it's just a mix of my favorites songs and how they connect.
    Scholarcash Role Model Scholarship
    Everybody needs someone to guide them. Unfortunately, we weren't born with a book next to us titled ''How to have a perfect life?''. We try our best to create our own perfect life, but it never is enough. We somehow never accomplish that. No matter how hard we try. We became so dependant on society that we are no longer scared to die; we are afraid to live. We are scared to take risks. Making decisions without any orientation intimidates us. We live in a society that we judged based on our actions. It is considered a necessity-have somebody that will help you throughout your life, that will show you ethics and morals. Somebody that at least will make us realize what is correct to do and not to do. A person who is willing to help (psychologically and physically) it's essential for everybody. Even more, for children and teenagers, because most of our generation is heavily influenced by what other people think of him or her, which might cause serious mental health problems. The mental deterioration by the great majority comes from the ''destructive'' criticisms of the society itself. Many of these criticisms go directly to the physical context. For example, when a person is ill with obesity, that individual would automatically be labeled by our community as a "cow" or "piggy" person, or among many other and worse insults. As a result, mental illnesses, such as depression or anxiety, are caused. As a result, the person who is suffering from this illness come to think about suicide. That would be the definition of a Role Model. What is the meaning of a Role Model? It can be defined as ''a person looked to by others as an example to imitate.'' But now, let's start to think about who can be our role model. Can it be someone from the TV? A family member? A Book Character? Or a Celebrity? Everybody has a different perspective of who can be that person we admired, that we look at them we think ''Wow, I want to be like this person!''. For me, the person who I admired the most, and I look at her and think that I want to be in a couple of years: my mom. I never met someone so strong and so independent as my mom Maribel Gomez. Since I was born, she protected me no matter what or who. She is the one who put her shoulder so I can cry on. She is the one that I keep fighting every day and be a better person each day. She taught me that I always have to chase my dreams, and once I have them, she always tells me to keep moving forward and see how far I can go. I can't even count how many times I was planning to give up on everything, that no matter how hard I try, there was something that will always push me to the ground. However, she always reminded me that sometimes obstacles show up on our path to show our mental strength. She told me that it doesn't matter how many times I fall during my life path; I always decide to stand up and keep going. She always tells me this, ''If you fall seven times, get up ten times''. And now, I find a reason every day to stand up and find ways to become a better person. Thanks to her, I am the woman that I am today. I want to have two careers. My mom has two Bachelors Degrees. A Bachelors Degree in Music and another Bachelors Degree in Law. I want to have a Master's Degree in Music, and I'm still deciding what other Degree. Whether Psychology, Architecture, Biochemistry, Public Relations, or Dermatology. I will never have enough words to thank her for doing everything to make me feel loved, protected, and happy. I don't know where I would be without her. She never let me get influenced by what other people think about me. She helped me while I was a victim of bullying for years in Venezuela (my birthplace), and she never let me get down. She is my sword and shield, and if I have the chance to change my mom, I will never do that because life gave me the most caring mom in the world. I love my mom. She is my Hero and my Role Model.
    Minority Student Art Scholarship
    The most beautiful thing that art can give is that it comes in every single context or shape. Since I was little, I always had a deep passion for Music. I grew up in a very musical family. My parents are musicians, my cousin, grandmother, best friend, etc. Ever since later, it became the principal part of my life to the point that I feel it describes me as an individual. I decided to go to a kindergarten musical located in my country Venezuela when I was four years old. After that, when I was exactly 8-9 years old, I found the love of my life, the reason that kept me going, never give up, my instrument Cello. When I met Violoncello, I felt it was just a miracle for me at that time; because I was feeling lonely, that nobody understood me, and I was worthless. I suffered a lot throughout my elementary school, middle school, and halfway through my high school when I was in Venezuela until the day that I left. I used to get bullied every single day of my life. My classmates used to call me ugly, invisible, fat, and even stupid. My Mental Health was extremely bad to the point that I was having thoughts of committing actions to myself that would've been terminal to me. My self-esteem was under the ground. However, Music became my salvation in all aspects. The Violoncello helped me to drain all the depression and anxiety that I had. It brings me happiness in my life, and that is one of the biggest reasons I chose to continue my musical path in college. The significance of Music, for me, it's even bigger than I could ever think. I am studying Music Performance with my Violoncello as my career major and Music, General as my minor at Rollins College located in Winter Park, Florida. It is honestly the best decision that I've ever made in my entire life. I'm focused on learning a new music topic every day, practicing my Violoncello every day, and spread positivity through my instrument. I feel like I am on top of the pyramid. I'm doing what I love, and honestly, I couldn't ask for anything else because I now have what I've always wanted since I was a child: love, affection, attention, and happiness. And that is what I want to spread when I graduate. That if you feel lonely, you have to keep fighting. It will give you unexpected and positive results. Just like Victor Hugo would say, ''Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.''
    Mechanism Fitness Matters Scholarship
    By staying fit is not only to be in a good shape, but it is also to help your health system. There are a lot of ways to maintain a good and healthy routine. For example, I use a lot of strategies so I can stay fit. I am on a diet called Keto Diet. Keto Diet is defined as ''a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used mainly to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. ''' or in short words, Keto Diet it's the type of diet based on the elimination of the consumption of carbohydrates and sugar. I started this diet 6 months ago. I also work out a lot. I do Pilates, Plyos, Lower Fix, Upper Fix, Yoga, and Cardio. Sometimes I decide to go out for a run for at least 1 hour. The reason that I wanted to start this fit life is that I was tired that every time I was looking myself in the mirror I was feeling that I was not worthy. I felt that I was fat and that nobody liked me. By the time almost two years ago, I started going to the gym I used to weigh 137lbs. Now I weigh 123lbs, it might not be a lot, but I am so happy that I get to have these results by myself with my own effort. And most importantly, I feel better about myself. Definitely one of the benefits that I got by staying fit is self-esteem. It helped me not only physically, but also mentally and psychologically. I might admit that at the beginning that I decided to work out so society can look at me better, but now that I am used to working out twice every day, I do it for myself because going to the gym makes me feel less stressed and less anxious. It is my way to solve my personal problems. Working out makes me happy and I don't see myself stop going to the gym and stop eating healthy food. My self-esteem is way better now because of staying fit and I will never have enough words to explain and to thanks this lifestyle that I chose because before I could not even look at myself in a bathing suit. However, now I feel more confident and happier than ever.
    Nikhil Desai Reflect and Learn COVID-19 Scholarship
    Did you know that yesterday, December 21, there were 8,401 new cases in Florida? It is indisputable that this year 2020 COVID-19 has universally impacted our society and as a result has changed our daily routine and adapt to a life whose basis is the personal distance, use of facial masks every day, and be extremely careful not to get this virus that can be lethal for the respiratory system of an individual. COVID-19 or Coronavirus has a definition as a disease that explicitly causes lung infections and can lead to a disease that ends the life of someone. It is known to be a disease that is spread through the air either by sneezing, loud talking, coughing, etc. The coronavirus can go from being a mild cold to a serious lung infection. For example, Pneumonia, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Thanks to this disease, the daily routines of the world's population including mine have had a not-so-good impact, let's say. The fact that this infection is extremely easy to become infected by just being in the same room with someone infected with Coronavirus, caused a stoppage regarding work and even school. Now online schools are being implemented (they are classes that are taken through your computer at home) to prevent thousands of students from going to school areas to avoid an influential contagion of Coronavirus. In my personal experience due to this pandemic, has affected me positively and negatively. Of course, spending more family time and being at home with the people you love the most or also that you have more time to rest and also get a more flexible schedule regarding the completion of classes sounds like an extremely fun plan. However, it is very difficult to maintain a normal life based on this pandemic. The fact of taking virtual classes, not being able to have the opportunity to go out without the risk of contagion of coronavirus, and not being able to work with comfortable hours makes it complicated. Personally, for me, it was a very strong fight that I had to confront because I had a positive COVID-19 result. It destroyed me mentally and psychologically, I felt that I was worthless, that I was going to die from this disease, and that there was no hope to move forward or achieve my dream future. Even because of that depression that I was experiencing, I arrived at the emergency hospital and was diagnosed with anxiety attacks. I was defeated. It was a very difficult battle for me, but I realized that life was only testing me and seeing how strong I am both physically and mentally. Today, I am stronger than ever, more focused than ever, with many more goals that I have and I am going to achieve and not because of a disease I am going to stop. On the contrary, it gave me one more reason why I must fight. While I was sick and isolated, I realized how life can be so beautiful despite the "bad" that happens to us during that journey. I learned that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Depression, anxiety, and COVID-19 almost killed me, but I was in time to put my feet on the ground and realize that I have to fight to be the woman I want to be in the future ... An enterprising, accomplished woman, and ready to take on the world. I want to make my parents proud, who have sacrificed so much for me so that I can study, and be a woman with principles and morals. I was about to disappoint them because I almost threw in the towel ... I almost said "I can't do it anymore" ... But then I realized that this is just a test and lesson that life gave me. A lesson that I have already learned is: Life can have its ups and downs, its happiness and sadness, its moments of strength and weakness ... However, one should always be with the best attitude possible, have to hold your head high and say '' I can and I will achieve it regardless of the obstacle '' and never give up or be ungrateful because at the end of the day I have the most appreciated thing I can have and it is the engine of my life ... My family.
    Elevate Minorities in the Arts Scholarship
    Since I have memory, I've been consider as a person who was born with a gift. A gift who made me feel like nothing else around me exists. A gift and a medicine for all my pain that I've been through throughout years. That gift is Music. Music has been such a great impact and a big factor in my entire life. Feeling the music coming out of my instrument and listening to the harmony of each note and how one is connected to the other to express a feeling it's really indescribable. My instrument the Cello focus on not only the fact that I have to play the correct notes of each Music Sheet, but also it focus on how by just sitting and take the bow and start playing with such a feeling makes you forget all the problems that you might been having at that moment. When I was a child, who was still living in her birth country Venezuela, I was always surrounded by a musical environment since my parents they both are musicians as well, and honestly I can't never thank enough how life gave me the opportunity or chance to be in a musical family and get to see deeply how music can impact the society even tough a lot of people don' realize it. Years after, when I was in Middle- High School before I left my country, I was bullied because of my appearance, it was really hard for me to find a person who actually wanted to be my friend, due to, the situation that I was currently living at that time. I was feeling lonely, worthless, pointless... Music helped me to think otherwise about me and made stop letting those comments to affect me because the only comment that it is important it is only mine and my Cello helped me believe that I can and that I am enough. The inspiration that I have each time that I play and I want to show to the world, is the fact of how big and amazing can Music be when it comes to be a remedy of all the pain that we have right now. I want to show the world that Music is not only singing or playing an instrument, is using all those feelings that you have inside of you and let it out. What Music inspires is discipline, passion, work, is the universal language, unification without using a language, because we connect to each other by just playing or singing. That is why I want to use this scholarship, so I can get to my dreams and then help those people who wants to be musicians as well. I want to spread love and positivity through Music, because that I what Music is about... Love and Unity...