Hi! My name is Miranda Valbuena and I am a Mechanical engineering major. This is my fourth year at UCF. I am from Coral Springs, Florida and in 2023, I graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. My favorite classes thus far have been Calculus 1 and Statics. Calculus 1 was that first class that truly challenged me at UCF. It taught me how to study and work hard. Statics was the first class that I took related to my major beyond just a math course. I liked to see how my major was used in the real world. Along with the classes for my major I have also taken Calculus III where I met my favorite professor Keith Carlson. Professor Carlson is really good at explaining concepts that are difficult to grasp, and he involves his students without making us feel bad for not knowing the answers. I hope to emulate him as a GEMS mentor. I want people to feel comfortable coming to me and asking questions. I am a brain to pick and am here to help to the best of my ability. I hope to give back after all the support I received from EXCEL which inspired me to become a mentor. Besides schooling, in my free time I like to relax with friends, read, go to the beach, and travel.