Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1437606
104 PCB007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2021 nitely support an argument that the event was the best exploratory experience my engineer- ing students had during their time in the pro- gram. Seventeen students participated in the event and all of them have applied to univer- sity or community college in STEM programs. In 2020, Diego Real applied to UCSD's Jacobs School of Engineering and received the Dr. Claire Trumain (a full scholarship) to study aerospace engineering. Kyle, Daniel, Gabino, Charlie, and James are studying engineering design at Cuyamaca College. I know that James and Kyle were impacted by the event, and it helped support their passion for electrical engi- neering. e great thing about the event was the hands-on experience. e students bonded with their instructors and were very excited to return to school to build on what they learned at the event. ey really enjoyed making the LED pins and learning to solder. Johnson: Does this program motivate students to go to college or to a trade school? Mumford: Yes! is is a definitive answer. e student event helps support the goals of our College to Career programs, and, in the case of IPC's student event, it really made an impres- sion. Students were able to interact with their facilitators and meet real professionals who were generous and gracious. Oen, students see the world of work as competitive and unsupportive. Interactions with the profes- sional panelists and facilitators are what make the student experience amazing. Matador engi- neering stresses the importance of collabora- tion and has adopted FIRST Robotics' ethos of "gracious professionalism." Experiencing gracious professionals is important to the students Matador Engineer- ing serves. e experience provides an oppor- tunity for underrepresented students to inter- act with knowledgeable and competent pro- fessionals and witness the diversity they rep- resent. As you can see in one photo (Figure 2), our young women had the chance to work with a female mentor and that was priceless. So, yes, the students are impacted, inspired, and moti- vated to continue their education with the knowledge that they, too, will be called to give back and mentor others when they become professionals. Figure 2: Female students from Mount Miguel High School's Matador Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Program worked with a female mentor at the STEM event as part of IPC APEX EXPO 2020.