Ismael Marquez

The service event I participated in was Pi Sigma Pi's pre-college event at LBJ high school. We went to LBJ high school to answer any questions that juniors and seniors had about applying to college. We sat down with these students as they filled out college applications, wrote essays, and worked on their FAFSA. We used our experiences to help advise them on picking the right university, and how to fund their education through scholarships, grants, etc.

The service event I participated in was Longhorn Lights Out. I participated with a small group in an organization I'm a part of, Pi Sigma Pi. We joined the larger Longhorn Lights Out team and wen't from building to building turning off any lights in rooms that weren't being used. We logged the number of lights we turned off and returned to our meet-up location once we'd checked every floor and room of our assigned building.

As a volunteer at the Garden, I was tasked with cleaning the garden of weeds and any old plants. It was very relaxing work and the two hours flew by.

The event I participated in was Admitted Students Day for UT's Electrical and Computer Engineering department. As a volunteer, I was tasked with giving tours of the university to prospective ECE students. I was also responsible for answering any questions or concerns the students or their parents had regarding the ECE department, curriculum, student life, and general advice for first-year students.

The volunteer event was held at the Austin Zoo. As volunteers, we were tasked with cleaning the animals' habitats, raking fallen leaves, and emptying trash cans.

I volunteered for SHPE's Noche de Ciencias. Noche de Ciencias is a yearly event that SHPE puts in place to introduce STEM education and careers to prospective college students. The Focus of Noche de Ciencias is to increase the number of minority students who pursue an education in one of the many STEM fields.

I'm enrolled in the Career Development and Leadership (CDL) course this semester, which is organized by Equal Opportunity in Engineering (EOE). During spring break we traveled to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. An event we had while there was a community engagement activity in De Ceuvel, a 100% self-sustaining community. As engineering students, our roles were to brainstorm new ideas for the community to implement, assist with the deconstruction and recycling of boathouse materials, and help in the maintenance of their floating gardens. It was easily one of the most enjoyable events of the trip, and I look forward to seeing similar communities spring up here in the states.

Worked on motivational posters to place around campus.

Helped bake cupcakes to give out to UT students.