Hometown: Las Vegas
Mechanical engineering, enrolled in the BS-MBA accelerated track (class of winter 2023)
What got you interested in engineering?
As funny as this may sound, I’ve known I’ve wanted to be an engineer ever since I watched Bob the Builder as a kid. Once college became imminent, however, my early interest in engineering became a matter of which specific engineering discipline I wanted to pursue. After exploring my options through research, internships and co-curriculars, I discovered that aerospace is the “space” I want to be in — and, more specifically, the transportation sector of aerospace.
What impact do you hope to have through your engineering career?
By applying my knowledge of mechanical engineering to projects within the space transportation sector, I hope to improve the way of life for all humanity. This can be accomplished within said sector since humanity relies heavily on technologies that have been brought about by its existence, such as GPS; the Internet; and modern banking systems.
What does the CREATE program mean to you?
Through the renewable scholarship it provides, CREATE has helped enable me to focus on academic, professional and personal development without having to worry about the financial burden that college is typically known to incur on students. Additionally, CREATE has allowed me to meet and connect with faculty and students that have fostered my development in each of the three aforementioned areas, which I am forever grateful for.
What advice would you give someone looking to follow in your footsteps?
There was a point in time where I continuously succumbed to impostor syndrome, allowing it to prevent me from applying to positions I was qualified for. As the famous saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take — and I was no exception. It took people speaking into my life and communicating that analogy to me for me to realize that I am capable; I just had to start believing that I was. Had I not had this realization, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. With that said, my main advice for someone looking to follow in my footsteps is to develop a growth mindset; to use rejection as your fuel for redirection; and to never let impostor syndrome hold you captive. You are capable: believe it!
