First Generation Student Rises to Top in the Fowler Engineering Community and Beyond "The Fowler Engineering courses that best prepared me for this opportunity were my Data Structures & Algorithms and Grand Challenges" - Carolina Caraballo Vélez

Carolina Caraballo Vélez, a first-generation college student, had always dreamt of pursuing higher education in the United States while growing up in Puerto Rico. Her dream came true when she was accepted to Chapman University in 2022. With her family in her thoughts, she made it her mission to seize every opportunity available at Chapman and within the Fowler School of Engineering. 

Vélez was determined to find a university that reflected the close-knit community she cherished in Puerto Rico, despite being miles away from her family and home. 

Carolina Caraballo Velez and her two sisters and mother.

“I grew up in Puerto Rico so most of the schools I went to were fairly small. And knowing my professors, them knowing me, and having that community of students in my grade that I knew I was going to see every day: that was also something I was looking for,” shared Vélez. 

From Beginning Engineer to Building Chapman’s First Student-Made Arcade

Vélez initially started at Chapman as a biochemistry major, but after taking a few courses, she quickly realized that it wasn’t the right fit for her. She then explored an introduction to Python course at Fowler Engineering and was drawn to the subject and the welcoming community there. 

“Fowler Engineering definitely made the transition a lot easier. I really didn’t know what I was getting into, but as I learned it was just overall a comfortable and nice beginner experience”, said Vélez. Prior to this course, this first-generation student had never explored engineering subjects. 

Since taking introductory engineering courses in college for the first time, Vélez has become a pivotal force in the Fowler Engineering community. She currently serves as a course assistant for GAME 242 Introduction to the Game Industry with Instructor Jon Humphries, is the treasurer for Chapman’s Official Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, and is a member of the Fowler Engineer student-leadership group, the Fowler Circuit.  

In Spring 2024, Vélez had the chance to contribute to Chapman’s first student-made arcade. Over the course of a semester, Vélez worked alongside other Chapman Engineering students to accomplish this Chapman milestone. “Something that I’ve always been told is to showcase your soft skills through your experiences, and so the fact that I have had this opportunity to go through these experiences has allowed me to work on my soft skills,” shared Vélez. 

“My main inspirations have been wanting to make an impact and finding ways to make an impact,” said Vélez. Vélez began making the most of her time at Chapman by pursuing every opportunity she could. This has led to learning more about student-supportive resources on campus such as the Fowler Engineering Career Center. With the help of Fowler Engineering’s Manager of Career Services, Samuel Lee, Vélez discovered two opportunities that would validate her identity as a student in engineering and as first-generation Puerto Rican college student.  

Finding the Right Opportunities Through Fowler Engineering 

Carolina Caraballo Velez with two colleagues at the Latinx Student Leadership Summit.

Fowler Engineering provides unwavering support to students both inside the classroom and beyond, offering comprehensive career development initiatives. This initiative has opened opportunities for Vélez that once seemed beyond her reach.  

“So, knowing that there was that opportunity out there made me feel like there was a place for me in the industry and that this community would help me and support me throughout the journey,” shared Vélez.  

In April 2024, Vélez was accepted into Google’s Latinx Student Leadership Summit – a fully funded event to develop her leadership and inspire her future as an engineer from Puerto Rico. “The event had that nice balance of honoring our identity and the technical aspects was also nice because it allowed us to build focus on our identity and career aspirations – not just one,” said Vélez.  

Although Vélez had a strong Hispanic community at Chapman, it wasn’t until this opportunity that she found herself surrounded by Puerto Ricans pursuing tech, just like her. Seeing this representation first-hand empowered Vélez to embrace her place in the engineering field. “Something that the Latinx Student Leadership Summit taught me was to not be afraid. I think I had to overcome that fear to be able to take every opportunity and grab everything I can,” said Vélez. 

After attending the three-day event sponsored by Google, Vélez left with new connections and with a stronger belief in herself. This led her to pursue a pre-internship with Ingram Micro during the summer of 2024. 

Collaborative Initiatives Leading to Innovation 

Carolina pursued a pre-internship with Ingram Micro in summer 2024.

After hearing about the opportunity from Manager of Career Services, Samuel Lee, Vélez applied to Ingram Micro’s Pre-Internship. “I had the opportunity to send over my resume to Samuel Lee and get in contact with Ingram Micro to schedule my interview. The career resources available through Fowler have provided me with great insights when structuring my resume and showcasing my skills,” shared Vélez. 

Vélez’s experience at Ingram Micro highlighted the importance of teamwork in the engineering workforce. She saw various teams come together to improve the user experience for their customers. “Our responsibilities consisted of meeting with diverse teams such as Infrastructure, Data Analytics, Global Networks & Product Management to gain a better understanding as to what each of their responsibilities and contributions were at Ingram Micro,” said Vélez. 

Vélez was well-prepared for a collaborative environment, thanks to her experience at the Fowler School of Engineering. 

“The Fowler Engineering courses that best prepared me for this opportunity were my Data Structures & Algorithms and Grand Challenges. They gave me the problem-solving skills to brainstorm, plan, and execute ideas and bring them to life. Additionally, I’ve gained insights into what technologies and skills to put my effort towards to stand out as a candidate and work well within a team environment,” said Vélez. 

How Community Leads to Career Development

During a single semester, Carolina worked alongside other engineering students to create Chapman’s first student-made arcade.

For Vélez, embracing the community at Fowler Engineering through peers, professors, and staff enriched her educational journey and has opened doors to meaningful career opportunities. Vélez‘s journey as a first-generation college student from Puerto Rico, pursuing engineering led her take on the field determined to make an impact not only for her, but for countless other students just like her.