Who are you?

• PES Scholar 2014, 2015 & 2016 (Schweitzer Meritorious Scholar)
• Electrical Engineering, 2017, Florida Atlantic University
• Emphasis in Solar-Fuel Technology and Educational Engineering/Engineering Leadership

Why did you choose to study engineering and the power engineering field?

I aspire to empower others. I grew up in a home where innovation and dedication to the community came hand in hand and taught me at a very young age to respect the power in the world around us. I see unimaginable potential in the society we live in- potential to change and harness our current technologies used to obtain, contain and sustain power in order to better our communities. Going into the Power Engineering field just made sense for me because I am determined to be a part of the renewable energy wave that is going to dominate our world's future. By immersing myself in the PE field, I know that I'm investing in my world's future.

What do you love about the power engineering field? What excites you about being involved in the PE field?

I love the endless possibilities that lay within the realm of power engineering! I get so passionate when leading workshops for young high school and middle school students that revolve around the power engineering industry because there is so much opportunity that I get to share with my students. I get particularly excited when I begin imagining the impact I will have in the power engineering field on the rest of our world through progressive movements into renewable energy initiatives.

How has being selected as a PES Scholar impacted you?

Being selected a PES Scholar has given me the confidence to open doors of opportunity that I had never realized were options for me. After finding out about the PES Scholar award, I was recommended by my Dean to enter a 24hr Extreme Engineering Scholarship Competition with SHPE in Detroit, Michigan and won a $2,000 scholarship for being selected the Extreme Engineer of the Year. Following that, I received notice from the Region 3 Student Activities Board that I had been selected to be the IEEE Region 3 Student Representative beginning January 2015.

Additionally, after reading the IEEE PES Facebook post of my selection to be a PES scholar, the TEDxBoca Raton committee called me in mid-November to ask me if I'd be a speaker for the TEDxBoca Raton event in March 2015.  The stories go on and on... I am so thankful for the opportunities that the PES Scholar Plus Initiative Program has brought me!