Six Years Building The Person I Am Today

Written By Yuovanny A. Rodríguez Alicea

I never imagined that the girl in ninth grade who enjoyed building bridges in her technology class would end up years later presenting an academic poster to engineers and industry professionals. What started as curiosity about designing and building transformed over time in a passion that today defines a big part of who I am.

My interest in this field continued growing when I enrolled in a vocational course in architechtonic drawing during high school. They were three years during which I discovered how passionate I was for design, structures, and the creative process behind every project. Once in college, I chose a degree that is unknown to many people: Architectonic Engineering. A unique program in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean that not only has prepared me professionally, but has also helped me to grow as a student, leader, and future engineer.

Leadership Beyond the Classroom

Throughout my college journey, student organizations have become a fundamental part of my development. It was the organizations that opened doors to new experiences, competitions, conferences, and opportunities I never thought I would have. Thanks to them, I discovered how passionate I am for leadership, teamwork, and engineering beyond the classroom.

I started in the Architectural Engineering Institute (AEI) - Student Chapter as a vocal; then I was secretary, vice president, treasurer, and now president. Also, I had the opportunity of founding the student chapter of the “Instituto de Ingenieros Civiles” at the Interamerican University at Bayamón (Inter Bayamón). Each and every one of these experiences helped me to develop leadership, communication skills, and confidence in myself. Beyond titles, the student organizations taught me discipline, responsibility, and how to work under pressure, all while balancing classes, work, projects, and personal life.

Thanks to the student organizations, I had many experiences that have most profoundly shaped my college journey. My first college competition was building a tower out of popsicle sticks for a seismic table. The structure had to resist vibrations similar to earthquakes, and I remember perfectly the nerves I felt watching it be evaluated. To my surprise, my tower held up completely, and I won first place in the competition. Beyond the prize, that moment represented a lot for me. It was the first time I felt I could truly thrive in the world of engineering, and that my ideas, creativity, and effort could translate into real results. 

I participated in conferences like the AEI Conference in San Antonio, Texas, and Kansas City, Kansas, where students from different universities competed in engineering challenges, attended technical presentations, and networked with industry professionals. These experiences helped me develop new skills, step out of my comfort zone, and better understand the impact of collaboration in engineering.

During the conference in Kansas, I participated in the Bridge the Gap competition, where I received the Most Collaborative Team award. That moment meant a lot to me because it reflected something that I consider fundamental within engineering: collaboration, communication, and the ability to work as a team under pressure.

Another of the most significant experiences was my participation with the American Concrete Institute (ACI) student chapter in building a concrete bench during the student competitions. We placed second, competing against well-known universities in the field of engineering. Beyond the result, that experience taught me the importance of teamwork, organization, and confidence in our abilities as students.

Growing through new experiences

My experience in the “Mega Viernes de Civil” also reflects a big part of my college development. “Mega Viernes” is an event focused on civil engineering and architectonic where students and professionals showcase projects, research findings, and experiences within the industry. I attended for the first time in 2024, observing each presentation and learning opportunity. In 2025, I had the opportunity to experience the event from another perspective as a staff volunteer, helping in the coordination of different areas within the event

Finally, in 2026, I had the opportunity to present an academic poster for the first time in the student hall. Going from watching other students present to presenting my own work to engineers and professionals was a very meaningful experience for me.

The project we presented was based in a competition held during the AEI Conference in San Antonio, Texas, called Bridge the Gap. This competition consists in developing a multidisciplinary project focused in integrating different areas of engineering, such as structural engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, sustainability, and architecture.

Each year, the competition focuses on a structure or a different need. The organizers provide specifications and basic requirements, but a large part of the design and development depends entirely on each team's creativity and analysis. Generally, the time assigned to complete the project is three hours; however, this year, only two hours were allowed, which added greater pressure and difficulty. One of the main objectives of the competition was to evaluate how the participants worked under pressure and collaborated across disciplines they often do not fully dominate.

The teams are composed of six or seven students from different universities and different academic years, from freshmen to seniors. This year, five students from Puerto Rico represented our university, an experience that inspires us and brings us today to this presentation.

My classmate Ismael Villanueva and I recreated this competition for the Mega Viernes. Although we already had most of the work done thanks to the conference, redesigning and preparing the academic poster from scratch was a challenge. It was our first time creating an academic poster, and we sincerely did not know all that it implied. 

Between classes, exams, projects, work, and responsibilities within student organizations, there were very chaotic moments. Even then, this experience allowed us to develop skills in teamwork, organization, communication, and time management, and reinforced the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in the field of engineering.

Being a fifth-year student while leading student organizations and managing multiple responsibilities requires coordination, discipline, and a lot of dedication. There were long and tiring days filled with stress. But also days filled with passion for what we were doing. Something I had always believed is that when you truly love what you are doing, you find a way to accomplish it.

During the poster presentation, we were evaluated by different judges and industry professionals. Listening to their questions and receiving feedback were among the most enriching parts of the whole experience. Many of them were surprised to learn that the original project had been developed in two hours during the competition, whereas similar projects normally require months of planning and execution. Explaining our process, decisions, and all the analysis behind the project was an experience that filled me with satisfaction and made me very proud.

Representing More Than Myself

Something that marked this experience was representing Inter Bayamón and showing the potential of their students. A lot of times, people know universities like the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, but they are unaware of the talent and academic preparation within Inter Bayamón. As a student of architectonic engineering, I feel a great responsibility and pride in representing a degree as unique and small, where each student works tirelessly to open doors to future generations.

The student organizations opened doors that I never imagined. They helped me to build connections, learn to express myself professionally, and show that I have the capacity and the knowledge to thrive in this industry. Thanks to those experiences, I have met incredible people, developed my professional network, and lived through experiences that have completely transformed my college journey.

I have also had the blessing of counting on people who have been fundamental in this journey and who, in one way or another, have always been present or have been adding themselves to my trajectory within student organizations, competitions, and university projects. None of this is achieved alone, and a big part of my development has also been due to the support, teamwork, and dedication of all the people who have shared this important stage in my life with me. 

Throughout these college years, I have had the privilege of surrounding myself with close friendships, members of student organizations, family, and my partner, people who have been present in the moments of celebrations, as well as in the most tiring and chaotic days. They have been the ones in the long nights of work, at the competitions, at the events, at conferences, at the projects, and also at the times when tiredness and the pressure seemed a lot.

Six Years That Changed Me

Today, as I find myself with only six classes to finish my degree, I look back and feel proud of the journey I have made. It has been intense years, filled with sacrifice, long nights, stress, and challenges, but also with a lot of satisfaction and growth. Soon I'll begin a new stage focused in the preparation for the licensing exam and becoming an Engineer in Training (EIT).

If anything has taught me on this journey, it is that we should never limit ourselves out of fear or insecurity. Every competition, every presentation, and every opportunity represents a possibility of growth. Engineering has not only taught me to design structures, but also to believe in myself, to lead, and to understand that dreams are built little by little, with effort, passion, and perseverance.

By: Youvanny A. Rodríguez Alicea