Service Activities
In my personal time, I am deeply committed to initiatives and organizations that uplift and empower young individuals, women, and underrepresented students. I am passionate about helping others pursue careers in STEM and academia, and I love working with communities to help with disaster risk reduction activities. Due to my efforts, I won the 2023 Graduate Student Leadership Award from the Graduate College at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Puerto Rico Disaster Relief
Since 2018, I have taken on the responsibilities of serving as the Head of Engagement and Co-Lead for the University of Illinois Puerto Rico Disaster Relief Program. I also assume the role of a study abroad leader for our educational trips to Puerto Rico. Over the course of five journeys to the archipelago, I have collaborated with students and non-governmental organizations, actively engaging in service-learning, engineering, computer science, data science, and community-focused initiatives.
Academic Mentoring
I mentor students participating in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs at the University of Illinois and the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. Since 2021, I have undertaken the responsibility of mentoring 17 different undergraduate engineering students. Through this role, I facilitate their development of fundamental research skills, such as constructing literature reviews, while offering guidance in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
FIRST Robotics
I was heavily involved with FIRST Robotics in high school. I co-founded the world's largest FTC robotics club, founded an FLL robotics club, and my own team went to the World Championships twice. I wanted to continue my involvement throughout college, so every year since 2015, I have mentored robotics teams. Since 2022, I have been mentoring CTRL-Y. I educate students on topics encompassing community engagement, the formulation of engineering notebooks, and strategic approaches.
Women in STEM Programs
Since 2015, I have assumed the role of Chair for the Central Illinois Chapter of the NCWIT (National Center for Women and Information Technology) Aspirations in Computing Program. Additionally, I serve as an NCWIT campus ambassador and fulfill the role of a mentor for the Graduate Society of Women Engineers. From 2016 onward, I have mentored a substantial cohort of over 100 women on campus, guiding them in strategies for academic success and skill development in engineering.
