As an African American woman entering the field of computer engineering, I realize that diversity is a crucial aspect in order to accelerate technological solutions. An engineering team with similar thought processes and backgrounds will achieve far less than their culturally aware counterparts.
Representation matters. Occasionally it is difficult for me to look around a room – to look around a career field – and see a very small amount of people representing my gender and ethnic group. However, this issue does not deter me in any way; in fact, it serves as quite the catalyst.
My passion for engineering inspires me to promote this field. Through my actions in high school, I have encouraged many young women to explore careers in STEM. Through my mentoring of fourth grade girls, I excite them to pursue their interests in math and science. As I train these girls to run a 5K race, I listen to their academic goals and ambitions.
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Through my position, I have begun initiatives to sponsor education on a local and global scale. I launched a new program to match at-risk teens with NHS members for tutoring and mentorship. I also sold 200 hockey tickets and used the proceeds to sponsor a fifth grader from Honduras to attend school for one year through the Unbound Foundation.
As Student Government President, I addressed my entire school in a presentation about the dangers of bullying as part of the Rachel’s Challenge Program. This assembly changed the culture of the school, leaving many students touched and reducing the number of office referrals. I additionally established the Friends of Rachel Club, which is dedicated to spreading random acts of