decades of partnership boost hispanic leadership in STEM

Paula Diaz Luengo was born in Venezuela and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 15. The move was exciting, but it posed many challenges, such as learning to navigate college entrance exams and applications.

The stakes were even higher when she got to the University of Houston, where she majored in petroleum engineering. As she advanced in her studies, she needed support to network, write a resume, prepare for interviews and land a job. That’s when she discovered the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) student chapter—which set her on a path toward her dream career.

Today, Diaz Luengo is a data analyst at Chevron—and serves as the director of the Chevron Hispanic Recruitment Team. Now it’s her turn to help make dreams come true for others.

SHPE is now in its 50^th year. It’s the largest organization in the U.S. dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to succeed in STEM education, careers and leadership. And it’s helped aspiring engineers like Diaz Luengo bridge the gap between education and employment.

As a student member, Diaz Luengo took advantage of SHPE’s workshops, networking events and mentorship programs. And she says the networking opportunities made a huge difference.

“The SHPE community gave me access to a network of peers and professionals, career advice, and resources to navigate the job market,” she recalled. “I had all the tools available.”

As of 2021, Latinos made up only 9.4% of the engineering workforce in the U.S. But their representation in undergraduate engineering had risen to 15.8%. This was thanks, in part, to organizations like SHPE.

Here are some important SHPE statistics:

Chevron’s work with SHPE began in 1990. In recent years, their collaboration has been powered by Somos, Chevron’s internal network for Hispanic and Latino employees.

The nearly 35-year partnership has included Chevron’s sponsorship of SHPE’s national and regional conferences, mentorship programs and scholarships. It has also included outreach initiatives that empower Hispanic students and professionals to achieve academic and career success.

Up next, Chevron is sponsoring SHPE’s 2024 National Convention in Anaheim, California. At this event, Chevron will be honored with a STAR (SHPE Technical Achievement and Recognition) Award for Company of the Year, and Gabriel Ruscalleda, currently a Chevron digital scholar, will be honored with a STAR of Today Award. The STAR Awards are intended to recognize people and organizations in STEM who are “changing lives through community outreach, work and research.”

“The networking through SHPE is so valuable to me,” Diaz Luengo said. “I’m so thankful that we are continuing to open doors by empowering future generations to reach their fullest potential.”