Student Spotlight: Noelani Revina-Gambill, Army
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Noelani Revina-Gambill, and I served in the Army as a public affairs mass communication specialist (photojournalism/videography and marketing). I decided to join the Army to continue my family’s legacy, create a strong structure for myself, earn a way to pay for furthering my education, and to be stubborn by being the only female in my family to NOT serve in the Air Force. LOL! Something personal about me is that I love to travel! I’ve been to Europe and Asia and hope to go to South Africa next. I’m also trying to check everywhere in the US off my list, too. Aside from traveling, I watch and review pop culture films as a hobby in the interest of the art of it.
Did you have any college experience before attending your Warrior-Scholar Project boot camp? Why did you decide to apply?
Before attending Warrior-Scholar Project’s humanities academic boot camp at Michigan State University, I attended some college classes. I was working toward a general education associate’s degree, but I decided to take a detour and enlist as a debt-free way to attend college. I decided to apply to Warrior-Scholar Project because I wanted community—a sense of belonging with other veterans seeking or interested in pursuing greatness by furthering their education. I also wanted to learn and challenge my skills further as a student veteran.
What were you feeling going into the first day of your boot camp? Did you experience a shift in your confidence as the week progressed?
I felt a bit anxious going into the first day, especially finding out that I was the only girl in my cohort and an ambulatory wheelchair user. Haha! But I was mostly excited. WSP was such a unique opportunity that I didn’t want to miss out on, and I was hopeful to make friends who “Get it.”
I definitely experienced a shift in my confidence. Warrior-Scholar Project helped me not only mentally prepare for my academic journey post-military service but also gave me the chance to understand a blind spot—I needed to befriend and think about nurturing myself along my journey and lean on others to go farther. It was elating, and I walk much better with my head held high!
What are some of the key takeaways from your boot camp experience? Is there one thing that stood out to you?
There is always something I can be learning more of, even things in my wheelhouse. We also discussed the background of what patriotism stems from, and it rekindled that for me as a US citizen. Something I learned about myself is that my blind spot was not taking breaks and working within the ebb and flow of work and fun—my cohort held me accountable, and for that, I am grateful.
Something that really stood out to me is this: since you took the leap to believe in yourself, let others in who believe in your capabilities, too. No matter what happened to you or how much you feel “washed up” or “not the same.” I felt down about my recent medical decline in my independent mobility, reasonably, but belief helped me mentally go beyond focusing on that.
How would you describe your overall experience?
It was welcoming, engaging, and fun. We definitely put in the work, but my cohort collaborated as a team, and they certainly included me to be part of it—I’m grateful for that. I’m glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone and opted to attend an in-person program. My boot camp experience had a positive impact on me despite my disability.
Do you have any parting words?
More women veterans need to come and be part of this space. Our minds only add to the brilliance. Making friends during this vulnerable and uncertain time for those of us transitioning or struggling to adapt is important. You will go so much further if you just say yes and catapult yourself off the risk with all that you’ve got!