The College of Engineering has announced this year’s recipients of its Young Leaders in Engineering Scholarship, which recognizes the academic and leadership accomplishments of members of the Cal Poly Pomona chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

Nicole Baca, a civil engineering student, serves as the corporate relations chair for SWE and is interning at the Parsons Corp., a Pasadena-based engineering and construction company. Her goal is to give back to the community and inspire as many young women as possible to go into engineering.

Maria Medina-Alva, an industrial engineering student minoring in management, serves as vice president of finance for SWE. As part of her commitment to giving back, she enjoys participating in outreach to young students and introducing them to engineering.

Karyna Bañuelos, a chemical engineering student, is the freshmen representative for SWE. In her first year at Cal Poly Pomona, she has become very involved with the campus by joining professional student organizations and the Maximizing Engineering Potential program.

Each of the three recipients will each receive a $7,500 scholarship.

The “Young Leaders in Engineering” Scholarship was made possible through funding from Lynne Lachenmyer, a Cal Poly Pomona chemical engineering distinguished alumna and the a current senior vice president of ExxonMobil Chemical Co. In addition to managing the company’s global chemical business, she also serves on the board for ExxonMobil’s Women’s Economic Opportunity Initiative, which empowers women in developing countries by giving them the tools to be financially successful and influence change in their communities. Lachenmeyer also participates in the university’s National Development Council and serves the College of Engineering as a member of the Dean’s Leadership Board.

(Photo: left to right, Maria Medina-Alva, Nicole Baca, and Karyna Bañuelos)