Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc.

SHPE.org

Regions

• Region 1

• Region 2

• Region 3

• Region 4

• Region 5

• Region 6

• Region 7

OneSHPE

Chapter Advisors

The Advisors Committee primary function is to actively advise and serve as a resource for SHPE student chapters. The advisors assist the students in achieving a degree of mature thinking and considered action that will strengthen the organization and help it to fulfill its objectives. The committee provides the resources and base for these objectives to be accomplished.

The Advisors Committee provides the students (graduate and undergraduate) with a way to find balance between their academics and co-curricular activities. They encourage individuals to excel academically. The committee also helps SHPE to add to the continuity of the chapter as members graduate, provide consistency, communicate the goals, legacy and history to future generation of members, and most importantly help the growth and development of Hispanic students.

Featured Advisor

Carolyn Ann Vallas University of Virginia

Throughout her employment in higher education, Carolyn has been involved with various student organizations. Her tenure and active involvement with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers began more than 12 years ago at the University of California at Irvine. Ms. Vallas has served as the Advisor to the SHPE Chapter at the University of California, at Berkeley and currently is the Advisor for the University of Virginia SHPE Chapter. As the faculty advisor, she assists the SHPE chapter in accomplishing their goals and objectives through leadership, advisement and counseling. Ms. Vallas' goal is to increase career opportunities for Hispanics in technical fields.

The major focus of her current employment has been in the area of Program Director with the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Science Office of Minority Programs. In this capacity, Ms. Vallas has utilized her skills in program development, outreach, recruitment, admission, retention activities, scholarships, proposal writing, fundraising and public relations. She has established a strong collaborative working relationship with faculty and other departments on campus, with corporate business and private industry in order to secure funds, in kind support, and research and internship opportunities for the student population. Management development and evaluation is a vital part of her current position. Ms. Vallas has created academic workshops to reflect the needs of the students within Office of Minority Programs structures.