Gilda Serrano CSSW ’72 has forged lasting connections in her lifetime: to Puerto Rico, to road running and to Columbia.

Born in East Harlem in New York City, she moved with her mother and brother to Puerto Rico at age three to live with her grandparents. At 15, she moved back to New York to live with her parents in the Bronx.

After graduating from Lehman College, City University of New York, Gilda was awarded a full scholarship to attend Columbia University School of Social Work (CSSW) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. Columbia, she said, offered a unique opportunity to learn from scholars who were prominent voices for social change in the 1960s and ‘70s.

“The CSSW curriculum was aligned with my interest in learning more about systemic change,” she said. “My experience at Columbia extended beyond the theoretical and practical. The most important aspects of my education were critical thinking and analysis. Our professors challenged us and expanded our intellectual problem-solving capabilities.”

After earning her Master of Science at CSSW, Gilda went on to 38 years of uninterrupted career experience in health care institutions across New York City: Knickerbocker Hospital (now closed), the City College of New York SEEK (Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge) Program, St. Luke’s Hospital, South Bronx Mental Health Council, and Renaissance Health Care Network.

Along the way, she served a variety of populations in need: children with health and psychiatric limitations, young adults in need of academic counseling, adults with endocrinological deficits, and senior citizens with serious physiological limitations. Over time, she served in a variety of administrative and management positions, retiring in 2010.

Outside of work, Gilda cultivated a passion for road racing, completing nine New York City marathons, another in Puerto Rico, and many local and state races over the course of 30 years. Today, she said, “I prefer long distance walks with my partner, Hugo, and an occasional short-distance jog.” She divides her time between homes in Riverdale and Puerto Rico, which gives her a chance to stay connected to extended family members. An inveterate traveler, she has trekked to remote locations including Machu Picchu and Mount Everest Base Camp.

A loyal donor to the annual fund, including the CSSW Financial Aid Gift Fund, Gilda has made the School of Social Work a beneficiary of her Individual Retirement Account (IRA), allowing her to establish the Gilda L. Serrano Santiago Scholarship Fund.

“My hope is to support students like me—students who excelled academically but had no or limited financial resources to pursue educational advancement,” she said.