My name is Jocelyn Espinoza, and I am a first-generation Latina student at Penn State majoring in aerospace engineering and minoring in mathematics applications. Growing up, my parents encouraged my curiosity and pushed me to learn as much as I could. They did not have the opportunity to attend college due to financial barriers and a lack of documentation, but my mom constantly reminded me to dream big and that I could achieve what they could not. Throughout my college journey, I have come to understand that attending college is a privilege, and this realization drives me to persist not only for myself but for future generations who seek representation in a field still dominated by white men. I am proudly Ecuadorian American and deeply value my culture and its traditions. In my first week of college, I joined a club called Latinos United for Change. I was nervous at first because I didn’t know anyone on campus, but the members of this club welcomed me with open arms. We all bonded over our diverse backgrounds and academic goals. I stayed involved in the club as the community felt like family to me and in my second year of college I served as Vice President. My main priority was that our club remain inclusive and open to anyone that is willing to learn about Latino culture. While actively involved with Latinos United for Change, I also explored research opportunities. I remember initially feeling unsure about whether I was qualified to participate in research, but with the encouragement from a mentor I applied to and was accepted into a project. Sharing this news with my family was a moment of immense pride for all of us. Balancing research, extracurriculars, and coursework was challenging, but my passion kept me motivated. Later on, I became a mentor myself and spoke to students from underrepresented backgrounds about getting involved in research and explaining how this could lead them to their future careers. This was especially meaningful to me because I was once in their place. Currently, I serve as Vice President of the Penn State chapter of Sigma Gamma Tau, the national aerospace engineering honor society. Promoting inclusivity continues to be one of my top priorities, and I am working to establish an aerospace mentorship program to teach new aerospace students about different resources they can use to succeed. This scholarship would help ease the financial burden of my education for both my family and me. After graduating and beginning my career, I hope to give back by supporting other students like myself who need financial assistance to pursue their dreams.

When I was a high school senior, I wasn’t sure what college would be like. My parents couldn’t go to college, and the rest of my extended family got their education in Ecuador. My mom came to the U.S at 16, and my father came at 21; both dreamed of continuing their education after high school. They worked endless hours to make enough money for a place to live and food to eat. They could not afford college, nor could they sign up because they did not have the necessary paperwork. Growing up, my parents’ love for learning became embedded in me. I became particularly interested in how airplanes functioned during our family vacations to Ecuador, as they were our only means of transportation there. I chose to pursue a major in aerospace engineering with a minor in mathematics applications. My motivation to study engineering stems from wanting to provide others with a safe mode of transportation and making commercial airplanes more efficient. In my first year at Penn State Berks, I joined several activities and clubs centered around my passions. From there I took on leadership roles because I wanted to serve the community. I was the Vice president of the Latinos United for Change club, a learning assistant for calculus 1, and a mentor for the Engineering Ahead program. The role of Vice President allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills and give back to a club that helped me feel welcome on campus. Our club also aimed at providing support to the people living in Reading, PA. Volunteering as a learning assistant helped me develop my time management skills, as I hosted multiple review sessions while balancing my classes, club activities, and research. My involvement with Engineering Ahead started before my first year of college as it is a program intended to help new students advance in their math skills and give students a better idea of what a career in engineering is like; I was a student that transitioned into a mentor after my first year. Last summer I was offered the position of RA and mentor for the new cohort. This helped me to continue strengthening my communication skills and problem-solving skills on multiple levels. The program continued into the school year where I assisted in their first-year seminar where I answered questions about classes, campus resources, and research. This summer, I am working with Engineering Ahead again, and I am excited to see how these students develop more confidence in their skills. Higher education has provided me with so many opportunities, such as research projects, access to mentors, training to become a mentor, volunteering experience, and networking events. When I was attending high school, I was shy, but coming to campus and getting to talk about my interests with others helped me become more open. I have had a great time at college engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, which has enriched my learning experience and broadened my worldview. The Journey 180 Planner Changemaker scholarship would help lift the financial burden on my family and allow me to continue focusing on being a full-time student. Once I am working, I would like to financially support students who are women in engineering, first generation, and come from minority groups. I want to get a career in designing commercial aircraft to make airplanes more comfortable for families worldwide. I also want to become a professor later in my life and directly help students achieve their goals.

When I was a high school senior, I wasn’t sure what college would be like. My parents couldn’t go to college, and the rest of my extended family got their education in Ecuador. My mom came to the U.S at 16, and my father came at 21; both dreamed of continuing their education after high school. They worked endless hours to make enough money for a place to live and food to eat. They could not afford college, nor could they sign up because they did not have the necessary paperwork. Growing up, my parents’ love for learning became embedded in me. I eagerly went to school to learn something new or interesting. Math and science were my favorite subjects, which helped me narrow down my career choices. My father enjoyed designing things in his free time and I would find papers around the house with his sketches. He used to tell me “This is part of the job that an engineer might do”. I used to make things to make my daily life easier, such as containers to better organize my things and bottle rockets. From then I knew I wanted to be an engineer, but I had to pick a specialization. I became particularly interested in how airplanes functioned during our family vacations to Ecuador, as they were our only means of transportation there. I chose to pursue a major in aerospace engineering with a minor in mathematics applications. My motivation to study engineering stems from wanting to provide others with a safe mode of transportation and making commercial airplanes more efficient. In my first year at Penn State Berks, I had the opportunity to get involved in undergraduate research where my team and I studied the effects of clustering Harmony’s vertical axis wind turbines. Throughout my research, I was trained to use particle imagining velocimetry techniques and software to analyze wakes off Harmony’s wind turbine models. Our team developed a testing rig and made several prototypes. Research allowed me to explore because we were working on discovering something new based off what other researchers have found. Our preliminary data was presented at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2023 conference. Through this project, I gained important skills in experimental design, data analysis, and teamwork. This research experience also fueled my desire to contribute to my campus community in meaningful ways. On campus I served as the Vice President of the Latinos United for Change club, a learning assistant for calculus 1, and a mentor for the Engineering Ahead program. The role of Vice President allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills and give back to a club that helped me feel welcome on campus. Volunteering as a learning assistant helped me develop my time management skills, as I hosted multiple review sessions while balancing my classes, club activities, and research. My involvement with Engineering Ahead started before my first year of college as it is a program intended to help new students advance in their math skills and give students a better idea of what a career in engineering is like; I was a student that transitioned into a mentor after my first year. Last summer I was offered the position of RA and mentor for the new cohort. This helped me to continue strengthening my communication skills and problem-solving skills on multiple levels. The program continued into the school year where I assisted in their first-year seminar where I answered questions about classes, campus resources, and research. This summer, I am working with Engineering Ahead again, and I am excited to see how these students develop more confidence in their skills. Higher education has provided me with so many opportunities, such as research projects, access to mentors, training to become a mentor, volunteering experience, and networking events. When I was attending high school, I was so shy, but coming to campus and getting to talk about what I am passionate about with others helped me become more open. College has allowed me to become a well-rounded person and has helped me develop my technical and soft skills. Although it is challenging sometimes, I persevere to become an engineer. I have faced academic challenges, such as difficult coursework and balancing multiple responsibilities, but I have learned to manage my time effectively and seek help when needed. These experiences have made me more resilient and determined to achieve my goals. This scholarship would lift the financial burden on my family and allow me to continue focusing on being a full-time student. Once I am working, I would like to financially support students who are women in engineering, first generation, and come from minority groups. I want to get a career in designing commercial aircraft to make airplanes more comfortable for families worldwide. I also want to become a professor later in my life and directly help students achieve their goals as Dr. Andy Nieto did.

When I was younger, I was always curious about how vehicles moved. I became particularly interested in how airplanes functioned during our family vacations to Ecuador, as they were our only means of transportation there. My motivation to study engineering stems from wanting to provide others with a safe mode of transportation and making commercial airplanes more efficient. At Penn State Berks, I had the opportunity to get involved in undergraduate research where my team and I studied the effects of clustering Harmony’s vertical axis wind turbines. Throughout my year in research, I was trained to use particle imagining velocimetry techniques and software to analyze wakes off Harmony’s wind turbine models. Our team developed a testing rig and made several prototypes. Research allowed me to explore because we were working on discovering something new based off what other researchers have found. Our preliminary data was presented at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2023 conference. On campus I was the Vice president of the Latinos United for Change club, a learning assistant for calculus 1, and a mentor for the Engineering Ahead program. The role of Vice President allowed me to strengthen my leadership skills and give back to a club that helped me feel welcome on campus. Volunteering as a learning assistant helped me develop my time management skills, as I hosted multiple review sessions while balancing my classes, club activities, and research. My involvement with Engineering Ahead started before my first year of college as it is a program intended to help new students advance in their math skills and give students a better idea of what a career in engineering is like; I was a student that transitioned into a mentor after my first year. Last summer I was offered the position of RA and mentor for the new cohort. This helped me to continue strengthening my communication skills and problem-solving skills on multiple levels. The program continued into the school year where I answered questions about classes, campus resources, and research. This summer, I am working with Engineering Ahead again, and I am excited to see how these students develop more confidence in their skills. This scholarship would enable me to lift the financial burden on my family and allow me to continue focusing on being a full-time student. Once I am working, I would like to support students who are women in engineering, first generation, and come from minority groups. I want to get a career in designing commercial aircraft to make airplanes more comfortable for families worldwide. I also want to become a professor later in my life and directly help students achieve their goals.