“I grew up in Southern California and went to a small project-based high school where I was involved with my school’s VEX Robotics team and participated in various clubs and sports. One club that I started at my high school was called Project Gold Ribbon where we raised money for children with pediatric cancer.  

I first learned about Olin during my freshman year. I’m a first-generation college student, so I didn’t know what the process was at first to get into college or even which colleges were good for what I wanted to do. I found Olin in this extra-large book about different colleges, and I was intrigued. What really stood out was Olin’s project-based learning and small community. I know I learn better in an environment where I can see how the concepts taught in a classroom apply to the real world. So, I applied and was invited to attend Candidates’ Weekend.  

When preparing for Candidates' Weekend, I was extremely nervous about what Olin was going to be like. However, once I showed up to campus, all my worries went away! My mom describes that first day as the most she has ever seen me talk to strangers. That comfort I felt within the Olin community is what really sealed the deal for me. 

Fast forward a year later, I’m now involved in a variety of ways on campus.  

I enjoy working with (H)ola and the MIX because they’ve proven to be places where I can connect with people whom I might not have met otherwise. As a freshman, I attended the SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) 2024 National Conference. This opportunity provided by the MIX allowed me the chance to interact with the 200 companies there. 

I also really enjoy working in Formula because I’ve learned valuable information about design, engineering, and manufacturing that I would not usually learn in a classroom as a first year. As a mechanical engineer in Formula, I had my own project where I designed and manufactured the mounting that connects the car battery to the chassis. To be trusted with such an important project as a freshman has been an exciting and challenging experience. 

Being in ACRONYM, our pop-up coffee stand, is good too because I get to meet all the members of the community. It’s a great way to give back and observe Olin from a different perspective. I like how people talk about anything and everything while in line, whether it’s helping each other with classwork, or just simply hanging out.  

I came to Olin not really knowing what I was super passionate about, but interacting with my classmates and engaging in these activities has pushed me to work harder and to find what I am truly interested in.  

It has propelled me to explore new topics and to be not afraid to fail.”  

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