Born and raised in Charleston, SC, in 2019 Gabby Klok graduated magna cum laude from Clemson University, where she majored in Philosophy with a Law, Liberty, & Justice Emphasis and minored in Political Science. As an undergraduate, Gabby served as Sisterhood Chair for the Sigma Kappa Kappa Pi Chapter, was on the Ethics Bowl team, was National Expansion Intern for CHAARG and served as VP Membership of Clemson CHAARG, a women’s health and fitness organization with chapters at 100+ college campuses. Gabby was also heavily involved working at the Campus Recreation Department as a Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer during her time at Clemson and studied abroad in Bangkok, Thailand. After serving with Impact America, she plans to attend Law School in August of 2024.
What do you like to do for fun?
I love to travel and learn about new places. I’ve been to 17 countries so far & cannot wait to continue to explore the world- I’m making it a goal to see one new country each year! Every time I go somewhere new, I make sure to take a walking tour, check out the museums, take lots of pictures, explore the nature surrounding the area and discover a local coffee shop. I also love being outside and doing anything active like hiking, running, snorkeling and scuba diving! I’m an avid lover of fitness and passionate about weightlifting as well.
What was your most meaningful service experience or extracurricular activity in college and why?
My most meaningful extracurricular activity in college was being involved with the organization CHAARG (Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls) on both the national and chapter level. As VP Membership of Clemson CHAARG for two years, I delegated tasks among a 7-person team responsible for a nationally recognized women’s wellness group where I led 150+ Chapter members, empowering them to try new workouts & live a positive lifestyle in college.
I was able to see first hand how CHAARG positively impacted the girls that I recruited as they continued to grow and challenge themselves both mentally and physically throughout their college career. I loved to see how fitness and the CHAARG community empowered all aspects of these young womens’ lives. This was especially true when I served on EXEC during COVID, as CHAARG was the only fully functioning student organization on Clemson’s Campus at the time and provided a social setting for many students to interact with one another.
Name and describe a memorable place you’ve been.
In Spring of my Junior Year at Clemson, I studied abroad in Thailand at Mahidol University for 4 months from December 2021- April 2022. This was my first experience living in another country, let alone traveling to Asia. During my time at Mahidol, I was able to experience Southeast Asian culture and try local foods like Pad See Ew, Chicken Satay, Tom Yum Soup and Khao Soi. I loved the fresh fruit that I could get on any given corner, the Som Tum Thai (papaya salad) and the outdoor markets. I loved how you couldn’t go 100 feet without running into another 7/11, the endless supply of kitties to pet, the beautiful places I was able to go, Khao Soi noodles, the extravagant malls of Bangkok, and Mahidol’s beautiful campus.
Through my Mahidol University and traveling on weekends, I made friends with and met people from all over the world. Through them, I’ve learned so much about how different cultures view the world and live their lives. Thailand will always hold a special place in my heart, as it sparked my love for traveling and made me realize how important travel is to me and my life in the future.