I came here to attend one of the best engineering universities and receive a top-notch education. However, I have stayed for the beautiful campus and great community vibes that have allowed me to create a home [not too far away] from home!

Joining the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) has greatly contributed to my experience here at Illinois. Transitioning from high school to college wasn't easy, but SHPE served as a great support system for me my first year here. I have made so many friends with whom were in the same classes as me, but with whom I could also hang out with on the weekends or de-stress with after an exam.

My favorite part about being an engineering student at Illinois is being surrounded by brilliant students and professors. There are students that may be pursuing engineering for a variety of reasons, but are all still highly motivated to succeed, and help each other succeed in college. Being surrounded by some of the brightest professors brings along opportunities to work with them too! Illinois continues to have strong connections with alumni, and it is great to hear from them the knowledge they've grained since graduating from here. There is also a sense of pride that comes from saying "I do engineering at Illinois". As a first generation student, I already feel that I have accomplished a lot by being here.

What attracted me to EA was the chance to give back the knowledge I've gained to the community through outreach at middle and high schools. I love inspiring youth to pursue STEM. I'd especially like to serve as a role model to girls and minority students, and show them that they too can be engineers! I also want to be a better team leader and speaker, and Engineering Ambassadors trains me to improve those aspects of my professional development.

If you are interested in pursuing STEM, make sure to take advantage of AP credits! They will give you a good head start on your general courses. Fill out a lot of scholarships! If you can lessen your financial stresses, that will help you focus on school. If you're unsure what major in STEM you'd want to pursue, think about the type of impact you would like to have on people, and think about what topics interest you! Having motivation allows you to push through those tough moments and late nights, but makes it all worth it in the end!

I am currently applying to full time jobs within the healthcare industry. I am interested in working with medical devices in some capacity. And I also want to travel once it's safe to do so!