SHPE - Winter 2009 - (Page 12)

MEET THE PRESIDENTS Region II Southern Arizona Region II Orange County, California Natalie Davila-Rendon Prior to her current position as SHPE-SoAz president, Natalie Davila-Rendon served as student chapter president of Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico and vice president at the New Jersey Davila-Rendon Institute of Technology. In these roles, she created credits SHPE relationships with other student organizations, uniwith helping versity deans and staff members. While increasing her to develop membership and improving participation, she also professional networked with other SHPE chapters on the island skills. and helped a chapter at Interamerican University. Today, Davila-Rendon credits SHPE with helping her obtain scholarships and internships and enhancing her professional networking opportunities. “I never thought that I could handle so much responsibility, like running a chapter and events, as well as creating great friendships and improving my skills,” she said. Davila-Rendon sees SHPE-SoAz as contributing to the local Hispanic community not only by connecting current Hispanic professionals with Hispanic students looking for employment opportunities but also better equipping professionals. “The chapter should help them network with professionals from different companies and backgrounds, advise them in résumé/interview techniques when they are changing jobs and link possible employers with members, she explained. “The chapter also should offer workshops that will ” provide them with skills to keep up-to-date in this competitive market.” A SHPE member since 1999, Natalie Davila-Rendon now works as an electrical engineer at Raytheon Missile Systems. Jorge R. Ortiz According to Jorge R. Ortiz, SHPE-OC president, Hispanics have an evolving role in the United States. “As the fastest growing minority in this country, we have the responsibility to utilize Ortiz was the vast resources (of SHPE) for the betterment attracted to of our communities, this nation and ourselves,” SHPE by its he said. “The professional SHPE chapters around mission to get the country serve as another resource to local Hispanics into students and a guide for professionals as to the STEM careers. vast opportunities SHPE has to offer.” Since joining the SHPE familia while an engineering student at the University of California, San Diego, in 2005, Ortiz has taken the responsibility of Hispanic heritage seriously. He has worked in various positions for SHPE, including external vice president of the student chapter and vice national undergraduate representative. He recognizes the growing need for Hispanics in science, math and engineering and the role that SHPE plays in achieving that goal. “I have taken every possible opportunity offered by SHPE to grow as a student and now as a professional,” Ortiz said. “I can only look forward to continued growth as a professional and aspire to offer my help to this wonderful organization in the fulfillment of our mission to become The Source for Quality Hispanic Engineers and Technical Talent.” Jorge Ortiz is a structural project engineer at KPFF Consulting Engineers Inc. Region II Santa Barbara, California Region II Ventura County, California Jose David Bonilla Jose David Bonilla’s experiences, first as an undergraduate student and now a professional member and chapter leader, have offered opportunities to act as a Hispanic role model in the Bonilla sees technology field. Beginning at California guiding young Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Hispanics as a through becoming SHPE-SB president, Bonilla is key priority for proud of his role in K-12 programs with local SHPE-SB. schools. It’s his way of passing on the support he received as a student. As a professional, Bonilla credits SHPE for much of the development he has experienced so far. “Every year I learn something new about SHPE that helps me develop as a professional,” he said. “SHPE has helped me become a more motivated and a more confident individual by developing my leadership, communication and interpersonal skills.” However, Bonilla is also conscious of the need to expand opportunities to help members flourish in the professional arena. “A professional chapter plays an important role in today’s employment market by providing the necessary tools, networking opportunities and leadership expertise to its members,” he continued. “We aspire to be acknowledged as an organization with great benefits for members as well as for our communities.” A manufacturing engineer at Raytheon Company, Jose Bonilla has been a SHPE member for five years. James Gomez A seasoned SHPE leader, James Gomez previously served four terms as professional chapter president and vice president for Region II. He also twice chaired the West Coast Career Gomez plans Expo, which in 2003 reached a record-breaking to fund the attendance of nearly 1,000 students. professional “SHPE provided me a great opportunity to development learn how to work with different types of people,” of members at Gomez explained. “To be able to get people regional and motivated and to have those people want to national volunteer their free time to do a SHPE event is conferences. a skill that helps me in my everyday personal life with my wife and five children, as well as on the job.” With members employed in various engineering companies, the chapter offers many opportunities to network. “SHPE-VCC has set aside funds for professional development and registration to national and regional conferences,” he said. It also invites guest speakers to discuss employment opportunities. Gomez added, “When I am involved in a SHPE event, I am most satisfied when I am able to make a positive difference in another person’s life.” An electronics engineer and project lead at the Naval Base in Point Mugu, California, James Gomez joined SHPE as a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. SHPE ❘ Winter 2009 12

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SHPE - Winter 2009

SHPE - Winter 2009 Contents President's Letter Browser Calendar Professional Chapter Leaders - Providing the Right Resources at the Right Time Closing the Expectation Gap - Summit Addresses ‘Diploma to Nowhere’ Conference 2008 A Career Building Diversity in Engineering Education Graduate STEM Degrees Extend Technical Reach Programs & Services Inner Circle Employer Profile Regional Roundup Annual Report Advertisers Index

SHPE - Winter 2009

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