Hey! My name is Amanda Lugo, I am a Sophomore studying Computer Engineering. I graduated in 2023 from Golden Gate Highschool. One of my favorite classes so far is Chemistry. Although I have a hard time understanding it, I’ve always loved learning about science and how the world works, and Dr. Gang Chen for CHS1440 is a really nice teacher. Yet, although Dr. Gang Chen is an amazing teacher, my favorite has got to be Lori Dunlop-Pyle. She teaches mathematics, and despite the difficult topics she explains it in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. She’s always open to questions and you can tell she cares about her students’ success. In middle school, I would attend GEMS days at Florida Gulf Coast University. There, women in STEM would teach us girls concepts of STEM with cool demonstrations, experiments, and hands-on learning. It was at these GEMS days that I started to realize that STEM was an actual career I could pursue, not just an interest that would stay as a hobby and a fantasy. I joined GEMS now, not only to be surrounded by like-minded individuals supporting and learning from one another, but to inspire other women the way I was all those years ago. As a mentor, I hope to be a source of support, help and guidance, and for my mentees to be open to learning and exploring STEM. My words of wisdom for everyone are to constantly be curious, keep asking questions and finding answers. This applies to knowing everything you need to know about UCF, your major, clubs, internships, and even just expanding your knowledge. Don’t settle for surface-level knowledge, that’s how you miss things you should know. Although it may seem like
everything becomes about college, homework, etc., you must have things in your life that aren’t school or work-related- a mistake I made. It can be hard, like being too nervous to reach out to a new friend to hangout, or to find the time to read a book, but the first step is always the hardest, I promise it’s easier afterwards. I love to hang out with friends, reading a good book, and drawing.