High School
"Throughout my childhood and in high school, I was artistic and would always be drawing and painting. I felt like using art and engineering was the best way to help people- using my creativity for solving problems."
College
Mariana attended the University of Texas, El Paso.
"At first, I was really interested in biomedical engineering. Instead, I chose to do electrical engineering because what runs without electricity today? I thought I would never be without a job."
SHPE
"Through one of my classes, my professor ended up introducing me to SHPE. I was able to get amazing mentors there who put me on the right path. If it weren't for SHPE, I don’t think I would be anywhere near to where I am today."
As a SHPE member, Mariana organized a "Noche de Ciencias" for a local elementary school.
"There were some issues with the event at first but there was a SHPE Familia there that had each other’s backs and we all figured it out as a group. It was my first activity as a leader and I feel like SHPE really gave me a lot of those skills- a lot of soft skills for working with people."
Mentor
"My advisor told me 'You are enough. You don't have to be better than everyone else, just be you.' And I feel like the moment she told me that, she took off a lot of pressure off my shoulders and I just embraced who I was,"
"You don't have to be an officer to make an impact on SHPE. I have never been an officer and yet I feel like I've had so much impact on my chapter. It's just a matter of wanting to help others and that's how the communities grow."
Future
"My goal is just doing something that I know can impact people. I feel like as long as I hold myself to my values of helping people I will find my dream job."