By Andrea Solis and Sol Traverso
Albuquerque, NM — The number of Hispanics in the STEM fields is low according to The United States Census Bureau. The University of New Mexico’s Hispanic Engineering and Sciences Organization (HESO) is working to help Hispanic students pursuing a degree in the STEM fields.
STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. According to a report published by the United States Census Bureau in 2013, approximately 30 percent of the STEM workforce are minority races, and 15 out of the 30 percent are Hispanics. Hispanics who hold titles within the STEM field comprise only about 7 percent. (https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-24.pdf)
Although HESO (http://heso.unm.edu/) is geared towards Hispanic Students, it is open to anyone studying in the STEM fields. HESO is composed of two national professional organizations, Latinos in Science and Engineering and Mexican American Engineers and Scientists.
President Jesus (Jesse) Valencia leads HESO with the help of, Co-Vice President’s Stacie Hernandez and Anyssa Romero, who is also the treasurer. This team is led by chapter advisor Steven Peralta, the Director of Engineering Student Services.
“Our mission is to help Hispanic engineers and engineers, in general, get involved in the STEM Field and see what opportunities there are for everyone. Because sometimes you don’t know what opportunities there until you are exposed to them. And HESO is a good opportunity,” Hernandez said.
In an effort to become more active as an organization, HESO is trying to make it easier for incoming students to navigate UNM. This is done by mentoring and tutoring members.
“There were times where I wanted to leave UNM because I was so overwhelmed. And just having the support, the team that encourages you is really helpful,” Romero said.
Valencia says that through HESO he’s met alumni who have helped him in choosing what classes and what professors to take.
“It is from those older HESO members that I learned the most information from,” Valencia said
There are students in HESO who are DACA recipients according to Hernandez. DACA stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which is a policy that allows immigration relief for certain individuals that arrived illegally as minors. A federal judge has given the Trump Administration 90 days to review and send a new memo stating the reason why DACA needs to end. There is a lot of uncertainty by DACA recipients about their future.
“I do know students who are in DACA. And for them, it’s a little harder for them to keep going. Because, one, they are scared about what might happen in these next couple of years. But at the same time they are not giving up on the time that they have,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez, who is also running for president, plans on HESO becoming more engaged with high school and junior high school students. Hernandez said she is in contact with teachers from Albuquerque High, where she is an alumnus, and are looking into a summer program each month will focus on a different STEM field.
Andrea Solis 