Securing a job before graduation can be stressful. And had you asked Emily Aguirre a few years ago, she probably would be one of the many nervous about what鈥檚 to come. But when she transferred to 缅北禁地 University and joined the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program, all that changed.

Hill-Lopes delivers dedicated, transformational support for scholars during their undergraduate studies in STEM at 缅北禁地 University鈥檚 Fisher College of Science & Mathematics. The program helps scholars make professional connections, find and select job or internship opportunities and enhance professional skills.

Emily Aguirre 鈥�25, a computer science major, benefited greatly from the professional development workshops. She says, 鈥淸One of the things] Hill-Lopes helped me to recognize [is] the importance of how LinkedIn profiles can elevate my career. The workshops surrounding LinkedIn helped me hone my skills and eventually helped me find job and internship opportunities.鈥�

Through Hill-Lopes, Aguirre found her confidence as a woman in STEM and, she notes, 鈥渢he program really helped me find my passion for computer science and gave me the tools I need to enter a field dominated by men.鈥�

Throughout her time at TU, she has been very active on campus, wanting to give back the knowledge she鈥檚 gained through Hill-Lopes and other life experiences. She is a social media manager for the  (ALPFA) and speaks to high school students about the college experience with the College Readiness Outreach Program (CROP).

鈥淚 love helping members of the community and students of all ages,鈥� says Aguirre. 鈥淎s a first-generation college student, I like to give back the knowledge that I鈥檝e gained.鈥�

A first-generation American, she overcame challenges associated with being the first, such as navigating the college experience and being the No. 1 translator for her family. The communities she found in the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program and CROP helped tremendously.

Now, with graduation on the horizon in spring 2025, Aguirre is ready. Through her involvement in Hill-Lopes and ALPFA, she has landed a job as a cyber analyst for Deloitte.

So after she walks across the stage in TU Arena during Commencement, she will walk right into the STEM field.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to get started! I have so much more to learn, and I hope I can make an impact on the field as I begin my journey as a professional cyber analyst,鈥� she says.