Alumni
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Patricio Ruano
CSU Channel Islands
Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Fong Scholar
The first word Patricio Ruano associated with college was “impossible.” As a first-generation student striving to avoid failing out of high school, he believed he wasn’t cut out for college. Conflicts at home, financial hardships and societal barriers made higher education seem unattainable. But through the support of his parents, siblings and mentors, Patricio arrived at CSU Channel Islands and set a plan to give back.
Martin Chavez
Jr. SHPE Representative | Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Now a senior at Embry-Riddle Martin will be graduating in May. In March of this year Martin received an internship offer to work for a small agriculture company as a Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Pilot. He is based in Florida and his internship has allowed him to travel all over the United States. Martin pilots an unmanned aircraft that carries up to 28 pounds of chemical products, like pesticides and herbicides. He also trains customers to safely operate this aircraft.
Martin is also a member of the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers (SHPE). This year he was elected as the JR. SHPE Representative. This position consists of getting in contact with local high school students and providing them with tutoring and mentorship. He pursued this position because of his desire to reach back to his community and help students get into STEM-related fields. Martin credits his success and inspiration to Mr. Julian Lewis, his Aerospace teacher at STEM Academy. He's also grateful for SHPE for motivating him to continue with his education through the support of the talented individuals in the organization.