Rogelio弗洛
WYOMISSING,爸爸. -当你见到罗格里奥·弗洛雷斯时, it’s hard to believe that he once considered dropping out of high school. The 阅读 High School graduate will cross the stage to earn his baccalaureate degree in electro-mechanical engineering technology, 辅修创业和创新, 早上10点.m. 在周六, 5月4日, during the 宾州州立银行 spring commencement ceremony at the Santander Arena in 阅读.
弗洛雷斯解释说，当他在高中的时候, he didn’t see the point in finishing his education and wanted to help support his family. That’s when he says his mother “smacked him with a reality check” about the importance of not only completing high school but going on to college and pursuing opportunities that his parents never had.
那次谈话产生了影响. Flores got involved in the Upward Bound Program at 阅读 High, which helps high school students to succeed in their pre-college performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. 然后他申请了十大正规赌博平台大全, originally planning to attend 博克斯 for his first two years before transferring to University Park.
“I always envisioned going to 十大正规赌博平台大全 Park but I ended up loving it here at 宾州州立银行 and it’s so close to home,弗洛雷斯说。.
作为第一代大学生, Flores began his college career in the 宾州州立银行 Aspiring Scholars Program, a one-week residential summer bridge program that offers support to first-year students by providing access to services and programs that prepare them for a successful transition into a college environment.
“I’m super grateful for the Aspiring Scholars Program,” stated Flores. “At first, I was scared to come to 宾州州立银行 with everything I needed to know. 我很感激我在这个项目中的导师. I learned and experienced a lot and made lasting friendships.”
Flores was so impressed by the impact of the Aspiring Scholars Program that he decided to serve as an Aspiring Scholars mentor every summer after completing his first academic year.
He was also involved in the Pathway to Success: Summer Start (PaSSS) Program, which provides an opportunity for invited first-year students to get a head start on their Penn State education. The program awards selected participants a scholarship of $2,报名参加两个暑期班. 弗洛雷斯完成了这个项目，并作为导师回来了.
尽管他得到了学术上的支持, 获得学位的道路需要付出很多努力, 但弗洛雷斯完成了这项任务. 在他大学的第一年, 他在塔吉特上夜班, 然而，他还是按时上了早上的课. He continued to work at Target part-time for all four years.
他的旅程并非一帆风顺. 弗洛雷斯申请了SFS集团的暑期实习, a worldwide supplier of precision components and assemblies, 机械紧固系统, 质量工具和采购解决方案, 位于怀俄明州. 他申请的第一个夏天就被拒绝了.
然后是Alexa Hodge, coordinator of student support services and the Aspiring Scholars Program, encouraged him to keep moving forward and not to be discouraged. 第二年, the manager of engineering services at SFS reached out and asked Flores if he was still interested in an internship. Flores has been working at SFS during the summers for the last two years as an intern/part-time employee.
他在十大正规赌博平台大全的时候, Flores was a member of the Latinos United for Change student organization, and he served as a Learning Assistant with the Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP), an early-intervention collaboration between 宾州州立银行 and the 阅读 School District. He said this is one way he could give back to his community.
Flores was recognized with the 宾州州立银行 Martin Luther King Jr. 2022年的PEPP服务奖.
While a strong foundation in math and science led him to major in engineering, his desire to become an entrepreneur is what led him to minor in entrepreneurship.
在宾州州立银行外, Flores serves as vice president of the 阅读 Youth Commission, which was formed by 阅读’s City Council to give youth a platform for their concerns with city government. 在这个角色中, he is part of a committee that plans and partners with agencies to provide opportunities for youth.
弗洛雷斯说:“我正在努力为年轻人发声. “I want to help give those in my community an opportunity to participate in something fun and safe.”
When asked how 宾州州立银行 prepared him for the future, 弗洛雷斯说, “学术, 我知道我在这个领域做什么. My time at 宾州州立银行 also reinforced my values of hardwork, morals and ethics. It has helped me to develop my networking skills and my ability to speak to people. 我很感激我所建立的所有联系.”
Flores will begin a full-time position at SFS as an Engineer I in commercial construction on May 6.
