Kayle Peña Agront, a senior majoring in computer engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, is working to help plan student-centric activities for Hispanic Heritage Month, which began Sunday, Sept. 15. Peña is vice president of internal affairs for the University’s chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Drive and determination are second nature for Kayle Peña Agront, a senior majoring in computer engineering at Florida Polytechnic University.
When not studying, she is gaining experience at her digital engineering internship at Draper, a nonprofit engineering innovation company. Peña is training as a quality engineer in microelectronics at its facility in St. Petersburg, Florida.
“I love it – I enjoy going to work every day and everyone there is so nice,” she said. “Since it’s microelectronics, I get to do things like look at which modules are passing, how to improve our fail rate so we’re making deliveries on time and making sure everything is working correctly.”
It is her third internship, following stints as an engineer intern at C3EL, a Department of Defense contractor, and as a drafter intern at R&S Professional Engineering, a structural engineering firm.
Building on the experience she’s gained from her internships, Peña said her strong sense of identity as a Hispanic woman continues to drive her success both academically and professionally.
“I’m so proud to be who I am and do what I do, and to be a Hispanic woman in STEM is a big part of that,” said Peña, who is vice president of internal affairs for the Florida Poly chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).
Her main role in SHPE focuses on spreading the word about the organization across campus and how it supports students, especially those of Hispanic descent.
“SHPE puts a big emphasis on community and familia. When it started last fall, it made me feel very recognized, like I was really part of something,” said Peña, whose family is from Puerto Rico. “I love the message of building up Hispanics in STEM.”
Peña, who is from Tampa, Florida, is finalizing details for a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration with SHPE’s counterparts at the University’s Latin American Studies Association (LASA), which is also centered on promoting opportunities for Florida Poly’s Hispanic community and sharing elements of Hispanic culture with their peers.
“We have a pretty big mix of Hispanic students on campus, so at this event, we’ll acknowledge who we are as a whole, and we’ll have fun,” Peña said. “It’s going to be a nice break from all the studying and serious stuff.”
The event, which has yet to have a set date, will include salsa dancing, bingo, Hispanic-inspired food, and more. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.
“We are here and we’re loud and proud and we’re going to make sure we’re seen,” Peña said. “We’re all about bringing other people to our culture.”
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