Leadership Activities
In addition to founding and creating two new courses at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (on computer science and design justice), I am dedicated to initiatives and organizations that uplift and empower youth, women, and underrepresented students during my personal time. My passion lies in supporting others in their pursuit of careers in STEM and academia, and I find great fulfillment in collaborating with communities to assist with disaster risk reduction activities in Puerto Rico. Due to my efforts, I won the Graduate Student Leadership Award from the Graduate College at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Impact Award from the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), and I was the convocation speaker for the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences graduation ceremony.
Puerto Rico Disaster Relief
Since 2018, I have taken on the responsibilities of serving as the Co-Lead and Head of Engagement 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 six 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 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. I am also on the Advisory Council for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Minority Serving Institutions Alliance, where I help mentor and teach underrepresented students research skills.
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. I currently mentor two FIRST robotics teams, and I educate 30 students on topics encompassing coding, building, 3-D printing, community engagement, and strategic approaches.
Women in STEM Programs
Since 2015, I have been the 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, NCWIT Slack moderator, and mentor for the Graduate Society of Women Engineers. From 2016 onward, I have mentored a substantial cohort of over 200 women on campus, guiding them in strategies for academic success and skill development in engineering.
