Why UC Merced?
UC Merced stood out to me because it gave me the best overall opportunity to pursue higher education while staying financially realistic. As a first-generation college student, having access to strong financial support and resources was a huge factor in my decision. Beyond that, the Mechanical Engineering program offered a wide range of research, hands-on projects, and extracurricular opportunities that I knew would help me grow both technically and professionally.
What really made UC Merced the right fit, though, was the environment. The smaller campus made it easier to get involved, build relationships with professors, and take on leadership roles early on. I’ve been able to do things like join engineering teams, work on real projects, and step into leadership positions that I don’t think I would have had access to as quickly at a larger school. That level of involvement has made my experience much more meaningful and has helped shape who I am as an engineer.
Why Your Major?
I chose Mechanical Engineering because I’ve always been curious about how things work. Growing up, I would take things apart and try to understand them. That curiosity naturally developed into a strong interest in engineering.
My decision is also deeply personal because of my family background. My great grandfather was an engineer, and my grandfather was a master machinist, so I grew up around people who built, fixed, and understood systems at a deeper level. Seeing that influence made engineering feel like more than just a career choice, it was my calling. At the same time, I wanted to take that foundation and push it further by applying modern engineering tools and knowledge.
Mechanical Engineering specifically stood out to me because of how broad and versatile it is. It allows me to work on real-world problems, from design and manufacturing to systems and energy applications. It also aligns with my long-term goals of working in industries like automotive or advanced engineering systems, where I can contribute to building and improving complex technologies.
Inspiration and Mentors
A major source of inspiration for me started during my freshman year in chemistry, when my professor, Dr. PJ, showed our class a video of the National Ignition Facility. Seeing that level of science and engineering, and the impact it could have, really stuck with me. From that moment, I knew I wanted to work somewhere where I could contribute to meaningful advancements and be part of something bigger than myself.
That motivation eventually led me to pursue and secure an internship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory within the National Ignition Facility, where I was fortunate to be guided by two incredible mentors who played a huge role in my growth, both technically and professionally. Their support helped me better understand what it means to work in a high-level engineering environment and pushed me to continuously improve.
Along the way, I’ve also been supported by several faculty mentors here at UC Merced, including Dr. Marcus Lee and Dr. Sarah Kurtz, among many others. They have provided guidance, encouragement, and opportunities that helped me stay on track and grow as both a student and an engineer. Their mentorship has been instrumental in helping me reach where I am today and continues to motivate me as I work toward my future goals.
Memorable Academic Experience
One of my most memorable academic experiences was working on the Final Optics Damage Inspection System during my internship at LLNL. Contributing to a project connected to the NIF felt like a full-circle moment for me. I worked on improving alignment and diagnostic capabilities, where even small adjustments had a large impact on overall system performance. Being trusted to contribute to a real, high-level engineering system pushed me to think more critically and approach problems with greater attention to detail.
Another experience that stands out is my role as a STEM tutor for engineering. Helping students understand challenging concepts and watching their confidence grow over time was incredibly rewarding. It also pushed me to strengthen my own understanding and improve how I communicate technical ideas.
Both experiences helped me grow in different ways. One strengthened my technical skills in a professional setting. The other developed my mentoring and leadership abilities. Together, they have been key parts of my academic journey.
What's Next?
After graduation, my short-term goal is to begin working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where I can continue building on my experience in large-scale engineering systems and contribute to impactful projects. At the same time, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in Systems Engineering. I am interested in strengthening my understanding of complex system design, integration, and optimization, especially in environments where precision and reliability are critical.
In the long term, I hope to become a mentor myself. I have been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors, and it is important to me to give back by guiding and supporting others who are on a similar path.
