ENGineering Access, Greater Equity and Diversity
Programs to Steer You Toward Success in Your Classes and Career
ENGAGED (ENGineering Access, Greater Equity, and Diversity) serves students underrepresented in engineering, including those who are the first in their families to attend college, from low-income households or groups such as women and minorities.
These College of Engineering programs, detailed below, help ensure academic success, sense of connection and community, and development of professional identity. ENGAGED also partners with pre-college programs at the University of Arizona to help students’ gain access to the engineering profession.
ENGAGED programming focuses on four core objectives:
Access
Helping students from underrepresented groups access engineering in higher education
Attainment
Ensuring students have the environment and resources they need to succeed academically
Connection
Building a sense of belonging in the College of Engineering among ENGAGED students
Professional Identity
Creating professional development for students within the ENGAGED curricular and co-curricular activities
"The UA College of Engineering is committed to making a quality engineering education accessible to students from all backgrounds and to supporting your success throughout your academic journey, and beyond."
David W. Hahn, Craig M. Berge Dean
Mentoring, Friends, Job Connections…Success
“I have met some of my best friends through this program, and I have made other really great connections that will last a lifetime.”
Ryan Curtis-Sanchez, aerospace engineering senior, Catapult participant 2018-2019, peer mentor 2019-present
“My favorite part was the relationships I built along the way, personally and professionally.”
Alejandro Ceballo Olivas, civil engineering junior, Catapult participant 2019-2020, Summer TRACK 2021, TRACK 2021-present, REAL Work 2021-2022
“The personalized learning experience and the small community has been really helpful, especially coming from an online semester. It was helpful to just see the campus and get to know everyone.”
Jennifer Galvan-Garcia, 2022 junior in civil and architectural engineering and engineering mechanics, 2021 Summer TRACK participant, 2021-2022 REAL Work participant
“Summer TRACK involved a lot of going to companies, kind of building your identity as an engineer. That’s what I really love about that.”
2022 aerospace engineering sophomore, 2021 Summer TRACK and 2021-2022 REAL Work participant Patrick Pinder-Newton
“I really think that this research, as well as the peer mentorship program, has kind of put me ahead. They don’t have the options that [ENGAGED] has been able to provide to me.”
2021 peer mentorship program and 2021-2022 REAL Work participant; optical sciences and engineering student Kayma KonecnyCalendar of Events
Meet the Team
Contact our development team for more on all the ways to support the UA College of Engineering.
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Noel HennesseyDirector |
Nöel (she/her/hers) is the founding director of the ENGAGED program suite of Catapult, Engineering Blast Off!, EPICS/Ideas in STEM, Summer TRACK, and REAL Work. She earned her PhD in Higher Education from the University of Arizona College of Education in 2020. Her research interests include academic and student support program efficacy, as well as emotional labor of academic program staff. |
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April N. HorneAssociate Director |
April (she/her/hers) is a first-generation Diné/Latina scholar and the Associate Director for ENGAGED. She primarily oversees the programmatic and team operations, marketing, and collaborative outreach for the ENGAGED program suite. April is working on her PhD in Higher Education and centers a critical quantitative auntie approach to increase STEM access for marginalized and historically under-represented students. April and her family enjoy learning traditional ways, trying out new restaurants, and playing Minecraft. |
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Tyler Le PeauStudent Support Coordinator III |
Tyler (she/her/hers) oversees the NSF IUSE Building Pathways, Summer TRACK and Catapult programs and leads activities designed to increase student persistence. With an asset-based perspective, she teaches and supports students from historically marginalized communities by connecting them to mentors, internships, and pathways into the profession. She earned her MA in Education from the University of Arizona in 2023. Tyler enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family. |
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Ailyn Gómez RayEngineering Pathways Specialist |
Ailyn (pronounced "i-lean") oversees Catapult, REAL Work, and outreach initiatives. She is a first-generation Latina from San Luis, AZ, who graduated from the University of Arizona with a BSHS in Physiology in 2019 and is passionate about serving marginalized populations. Ailyn enjoys anything artsy, baking, hiking, and hanging out with her dogs. |
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Elia BuenoGraduate Research Assistant |
Elia is a graduate student in the Family and Consumer Sciences doctoral program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her research interests include access to college and familial influence in students’ access of resources and success in higher education. Elia is responsible for data collection and program assessment for ENGAGED programming. In her spare time, Elia enjoys hiking, going on walks, working out, cooking, and hanging out with her loved ones. |
