SHPE ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW ANNUAL STAR AWARD HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FOUNDER RODRIGO GARCIA

Los Angeles, CA – SHPE has added a new award to the SHPE Technical Achievement and Recognition (STAR) Awards presented annually at the SHPE National Convention, the largest gathering of Hispanics in STEM in the U.S. The Rodrigo Garcia Founder’s Award honors SHPE’s founder, Rodrigo Garcia, who will be the first recipient at the convention in Orlando, Florida on November 10-14, 2021.

Rodrigo “Rod” Garcia is a licensed Professional Engineer in California. He has over 40 years of experience as a civil engineering businessman. His firm has been involved in several high-profile projects in Los Angeles including various rail projects for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Prior to establishing his firm, he worked for the City of Los Angeles in Public Works, Building and Safety as well as the Port of Los Angeles. Currently, he is the President of Century Diversified, Inc.

The story of SHPE’s founding begins in 1973. Rod was working as a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles. When Rod was at work—even in the midst of a tech boom in California—he was a brown face in a sea of white. Recognizing the disparity and wanting to make a change, Rod gathered a cohort of fellow Hispanic engineers who shared his concerns. They held a meeting in his garage to determine how they could contribute to diversifying the STEM field. Each of them had overcome barriers to break into the engineering world and, after finally earning their places, they were still experiencing discrimination.

The team leveraged their vast connections to build support. And in 1974, they officially formed the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), an organization that has grown into a nationwide professional association serving more than 13,000 members.

Watch Rod speak in this video clip about how SHPE has been changing lives:
“What benefits the Hispanic community benefits the nation.”

Many of SHPE’s members will tell you that Rod’s vision has changed their life, affording them access and opportunities they would not have had otherwise. Over close to 50 years, Rod’s limitless compassion and unwavering service to others has been critical to the success of SHPE. This award honors his accomplishments and memorializes him as the guiding light of the organization that is leading Hispanics in STEM.

In 2022, the award will be open for nominations. Candidates must meet the following criteria for consideration:

• Demonstrates consistent dedication to SHPE’s growth and advancement
• Demonstrates compassion and a commitment to service of others
• SHPE Lifetime member with Lifetime and/or Professional membership status for at least 10 years
• Cannot have previously received the Rodrigo Garcia Founder’s Award

To learn more about SHPE’s National Convention, the STAR Awards, the 2020 winners, and the nomination process, please visit the STAR Awards at shpe.org/2021.

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ABOUT SHPE
SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

Los Angeles, CA – After a thorough search by a nonprofit board member recruitment & placement firm to identify candidates with experience complementary to the existing Board of Directors, SHPE has filled two previously vacant seats and three seats becoming vacant at the end of the current fiscal year.

Effective immediately, Carista Ragan of StackPath and Nicolas Tempestini of Accenture, are the newest members of the SHPE Board of Directors.

Carista Ragan is the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at StackPath in Dallas, Texas. She has leadership experience in corporate start-up, FTSE 100, and Fortune 500 global companies, including the role of general counsel for North America and Latin America at The Weir Group based in Scotland, and leading a global commercial operations counsel team at Flowserve Corporation. Throughout her career, Carista has managed teams of attorneys in Asia, Latin America, Europe, the UK, and North America. She has traveled to 15+ countries training more than 25,000 executives and sales teams on Ethics and Compliance, FCPA and global anti-corruption and anti-bribery law, privacy law, risk management, anti-trust, privacy, employment law, and commercial contracts. She is passionate about positioning underrepresented groups for leadership and success and is frequently asked to speak on the topic.

Nicolas Tempestini is a Managing Director with 23+ years of experience at Accenture. He is currently the Google Business Group lead in the South Market Unit and leads the global talent development of Google Cloud. Nicolas is currently the Executive Sponsor at Accenture for both SHPE and Puerto Rico Universities Campus Recruiting. As the SHPE Executive Sponsor, he led the team to the 2019 STAR Company of the Year award and has launched two (2) virtual communities at Accenture –SHPE Alumni and Puerto Rico University Alumni groups – with a membership of about 200+ and 250+ respectively. Nicolas is a SHPE Lifetime Member and has been involved with SHPE since he was a freshman and eventual board member at the University of Michigan where he majored in Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Effective July 1, 2021, three additional executives will also join the SHPE Board of Directors – Steve Bermudez of Redline Ventures, Joaquin Gamboa of PWNHealth, and Fernando Paz of Cox Automotive.

Steve Bermudez is currently the CEO of a corporate development firm, Redline Ventures, where he supports emerging technology, real estate, and consumer product businesses in driving revenues, growth, and corporate initiatives. He also currently leads the mergers and acquisitions division of a commercial real estate and business brokerage, Alternative Real Estate Investments, Inc. In the past, Steve has managed and overseen the acquisition, construction, and development of global projects and developments with combined budgets in excess of over $1B+. He has held senior engineering positions at top ENR ranked firms McCarthy Building Companies and Clark Construction. He led global real estate project management for Citrix Systems, Inc. and held senior executive positions at technology startups, Impact and BioIQ. Steve earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Joaquin Gamboa is the Chief Legal Officer at PWNHealth. Prior to PWNHealth, Joaquin was Chief Business Development and Legal Officer at Spring Health. He helped lead Zocdoc for six years as Chief Legal Officer, Head of New Business and Government Affairs, and Chief People Officer; and he was a partner at a telecom and technology law firm in Washington, DC. Joaquin began his career in Silicon Valley where he ran international business development at a fintech startup, founded a venture fund, and worked as a corporate lawyer. Born in Mexico City, Joaquin now lives in New York City with his wife and three children.

Fernando Paz is Senior Director of Software Engineering at Cox Automotive. In his role, Fernando leads global teams responsible for innovative SaaS software and advanced analytics that offer automotive dealers key market insights and business intelligence. Previously, he held progressively senior positions at both Dell and Motorola. As Vice President, Software at Dell, Fernando was responsible for all software in support of ~$40B PC business. He joined Dell from Motorola where, as Software Director, he scaled engineering to grow the business to $5B. In addition, he served abroad and established a Software R&D Center of Excellence in Malaysia. Fernando holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and a Master of Science in Engineering Management/MBA from the University of Florida. Fernando now lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and three children.

Governance Committee Chair Diana Gomez said about the search, “We were specifically looking for leading executives who are passionate about the mission of SHPE, but who also round out the competencies of our Board of Directors. These appointments bring knowledge and experience that will be invaluable as SHPE continues to grow its impact on leading Hispanics in STEM.”

As of June 30, three longtime SHPE Board members will step down – Founder Rod Garcia, Governance Committee Chair Diana Gomez, and Board Chair Miguel Alemany, though Miguel will remain as Board Chair temporarily to facilitate a smooth transition to the new Board Chair. All three individuals are very active, Lifetime members of SHPE who have played critical roles in the creation and evolution of SHPE over the years. Each of them will continue to be involved in volunteer positions and as mentors and role models to the next generation of SHPE members. The SHPE Familia owes a debt of gratitude to each of them and looks forward to their continued engagement.

ABOUT SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2020

Contact: Kathleen DuBois
[email protected]
323-725-3970 x109

SHPE Distributes Record-Breaking Number of Student Scholarships and Awards Hundreds of Relief Fund Stipends

Bright Minds Scholarship Campaign and ALL-IN Relief Fund assists members in need

City of Industry, California – SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) was launched in 1974 to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its full potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development.

According to SHPE CEO Raquel Tamez, “Financial need is the number one reason why Hispanic students do not complete a bachelor’s degree. So SHPE is offering thousands of reasons to ensure our members do reach graduation – $620,000 to be exact. With scholarships awarded to 191 students for the 2020-2021 academic year totaling more than $620,000 – a 39% increase over 2019-2020 – SHPE is actively narrowing the gap in the Hispanic STEM education pipeline.” Due to the pandemic, SHPE student members have been faced with unprecedented financial, academic and social challenges, which means scholarship support is more essential than ever.

In addition, the ALL-IN Relief Fund was quickly set up in April to support SHPE members experiencing a financial hardship due to COVID-19. “The pandemic hit many Hispanic STEM students and professionals hard. We received hundreds of applications once the new relief fund was announced, with the greatest reason cited for a stipend being job loss,” said Tamez. So far $112,000 in relief fund stipends to 292 Hispanics in STEM have been awarded since May and the next round will be awarded in September.

SHPE is grateful for the overwhelming generosity from hundreds of contributors including members, chapters and corporations. Many companies established named scholarships including: Apple, Bechtel, Chevron, Eaton, Intel, John Deere, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, Spectrum, and Toyota. Bechtel, Cummins, Honeywell and Intel provided seed funds to establish the ALL-IN Relief Fund. And SHPE Board Chair Miguel Alemañy funded the Helen Cuesta Scholarship in honor of his mother – the first named scholarship established by an individual member.

Student and professional members who are struggling due to the effects of the COVID-19 can apply now for an ALL-IN Relief Fund stipend up to $500 by visiting https://smr.to/p65984

Individuals and organizations can make a donation to the Bright Minds Scholarship Campaign or ALL-IN Relief Fund by visiting https://www.shpe.org/support-our-students

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ABOUT SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

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As a leader interested and committed to growing your network in order to work together and find solutions for our community, we’d like to invite you to the FREE 2020 UnidosUS Annual Conference & Virtual Marketplace—America in Crisis: Ready to Act, Ready to Lead—taking place July 27–30.

A few months ago, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced that the Conference would be transformed from an in-person event to a virtual experience. This year, registration for the Annual Conference and Virtual Marketplace is free and open to the public.

We support UnidosUS because we believe in its mission to see a strong America where economic, political, and social advancement is a reality for all Hispanics. As part of this mission, UnidosUS hosts one of the most important convening of Hispanic leaders, industry experts, elected officials, and change makers of today and tomorrow at their Annual Conference to address critical issues in our community.

This year’s theme is a reflection of the commitment of UnidosUS to address today’s challenges head on and demonstrate that the Hispanic community is ready to be the driving force in moving our nation forward.

This year’s sessions, as the theme suggests, will present the issues the Hispanic community is currently facing, from the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, to continuing to demand racial justice, to mobilizing the Hispanic community to be informed and empowered voters on the path to the 2020 elections. Their National Latino Family Expo® this year will be presented as a Virtual Marketplace, where top brands and corporate partners will showcase their latest products and initiatives in virtual booths, featuring demonstrations, raffles and contents, and meet-and-greets.

This is an important time to showcase the leadership that is working towards moving this country forward. We encourage you and hope that you will take the time to join UnidosUS at their 2020 UnidosUS Annual Conference and Virtual Marketplace for this important conversation.

REGISTER NOW!

Follow #UnidosUS20 on social for the latest updates. Registration closes this Friday, July 24!

Earlier this week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced modifications to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program that would significantly impact international students legally in the country and the colleges and universities where they are pursuing their education. SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) encourages the administration, elected officials, and colleges and universities to act to protect international students affected by these modifications and to ensure they can remain enrolled and take classes. SHPE joined 64 other educational and scientific societies, representing STEM professionals in all fields, both in the U.S. and internationally, that signed a letter asking that the modified rules be withdrawn immediately..

“Many colleges and universities are considering alterations to their Fall 2020 campus plans that will allow students to continue their education while recognizing the threat that COVID-19 poses to public health, including the health of their students and their employees,” said Miguel Alemañy, National Board Chair of SHPE. “The modified rules announced this week would hurt international students and have a negative impact on their ability to earn their degrees.”

“The uncertainties created by COVID-19 call for a flexible and adaptable approach by all institutions and individuals,” said Raquel Tamez, Chief Executive Officer of SHPE. “At a time when many of SHPE’s student members are facing significant obstacles to achieving their dream of a college diploma, we stand united as a Familia in calling for action to preserve the ability of all international students to continue their education at their U.S. colleges and universities.”

In the absence of the withdrawal of the modified rules, we ask Congress to intervene to protect international students and provide students with the ability to attend their colleges and universities and participate in the full range of educational options offered by their schools. We fully support those colleges and universities who are fighting to maintain meaningful educational opportunities for all students and encourage all schools to work with their international students on effective solutions that advance their education.

SHPE is monitoring developments in Washington, D.C., in colleges and universities, and in federal court where Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed a lawsuit that seeks to restore students’ ability to pursue their education.

Additionally, SHPE is also exploring resources to assist its members that may be impacted by these changes.

As an organization that has supported Hispanic students and professionals in STEM for nearly 50 years, SHPE understands the value of education and will do what it can to support the international students, especially SHPE members, whose education will be disrupted by these proposed modifications.

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ABOUT SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2020

City of Industry, California — The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) was launched in 1974 to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its full potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. As an organization that advocates for diversity and inclusion, and to give a voice to an under-represented community, it’s our responsibility to stand up and fight injustice to our brothers and sisters of color.

We are outraged by the violent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and the countless victims of systemic racism and brutality against the Black community that has persisted for centuries. To echo the words of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Board Chair Jocelyn Jackson, these are “all victims of a shameful legacy of hate” and they deserve justice. In solidarity, we must stand up and demand justice. We demand an end to the senseless deadly violence against Black Americans. We demand that our country do better to combat systemic racism. Black lives matter.

SHPE remains focused on our core mission and vision as an organization. However, as part of our call to fight systemic racism, we are committed to make change happen from within SHPE. To that end, we have committed to the following:

• To publicly support and be allies to the Black community.
• To organize cultural awareness training for our community to cover topics like intersectionality, colorism, and bias.
• To encourage members who identify as Afro-Latinx to share their experiences and offer ideas on how we can be more supportive.
• To work together with other sister organizations to shape and disseminate public statements of solidarity; to create action plans that lift the underserved and underrepresented in STEM fields.
• To facilitate a series of member dialogues around the topics of cultural awareness, bias, and understanding.
• To listen to our members’ inspirations and ideas about how to improve.

Also, as a founding member of the 50K Coalition in 2015, along with the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the American-Indian Science and Engineering Society, SHPE has committed to working collectively to increase the numbers of engineering graduates from underrepresented populations to 50,000 by 2025.

The SHPE values have never meant more than they do right now. As we grieve the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed, we look again to our values to guide our response and behavior. Familia means that we take responsibility for our collective strength and challenge each other to be our best. Service means we commit the highest levels of quality, integrity, and ethical behavior; and we act with empathy, patience, and understanding. Education means we are dedicated to continuous improvement and renewal; and we learn from successes, setbacks, and each other. And Resilience means we embrace our diverse cultures and communities, which enable us to adapt, thrive, and persist with optimism.

We embrace these values now more than ever. And we will use them to guide our actions in the days and months ahead as we commit to being an ally to the Black community in the fight for justice and equality.

———

ABOUT SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

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July 1, 2020

Dear Members,

With everything going on in the world, from the growing movement for racial justice to the enormous toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pride Month felt a little different this year.

While the LGBTQ+ community continues to raise awareness and celebrate the progress that’s been made, these efforts are recognized as part of a larger struggle for equality. From criminal justice reform to the recent US Supreme Court decision making it illegal for employers to discriminate based on one’s sexual orientation, the changes we are seeing are a testament to collective action, working together towards a common goal. Our organizations—SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers); and oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)—are proud to stand in solidarity with those on the front lines of that change.

SHPE and oSTEM are united in a steadfast commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity—in all its forms. Over the last three years, we’ve worked together including the creation of the LGBTQ+ Track at the SHPE National Convention.

Our commitment to equity is not the only thing that we share; in their own ways, our respective members have experienced the awful realities of discrimination and harassment. Whether it’s a first-generation Hispanic-American who cannot get a job because of where she was born or a transgender scientist unfairly passed over for a tenure-track position, these experiences are doubled for members who belong to both communities. The struggles may be different, but the impacts—psychological, social, economic, and otherwise—can be similarly devastating.

Evidence of those struggles are reflected in our respective lack of representation in STEM. According to the Pew Research Center, Hispanics occupy a mere 7% of all STEM jobs—despite being 16% of the overall population. Similarly, according to a 2018 article in the journal Nature, LGBTQ+ humans are 17-21% *less* represented in STEM fields than expected.

Yet as history has shown time and again, when traditionally marginalized people come together for a common cause, great change is possible. This is why it is so important that our organizations continue to collaborate—to advocate for greater inclusion across the STEM spectrum, from corporate America to academia.

Taken together, the intersectional identities that encompass our organizations provide a window into a possible future. A future where our communities are central to reshaping America. This work has started but we cannot lose our momentum. Now more than ever, we must continue to move forward—together.

Fifty years ago, this week, members of New York’s LGBTQ+ community came together in remembrance of the Stonewall Riots. At the center of that uprising were Black and Brown gender expansive individuals. Their legacy lives on today as June is globally recognized as Pride Month. Yet, the demonstrations taking place in our cities and towns serve as a reminder that the struggle for equality is not over.

With the recent end of Pride Month, we acknowledge how far we have come and how far we still have to go. Every Pride Month going forward, we must honor the sacrifices of those who came before. We recommit to the work of creating a world that celebrates you as you are, together.

Sincerely,

Lilian Martinez, Executive Director & CEO, oSTEM

Raquel Tamez, CEO, SHPE

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SHPE Partners with ReadyOne Industries to Offer Branded Face Mask and Bio Face Covers to Members with Profits Donated to the ALL-IN Student Relief Fund

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing need for personal protective equipment, SHPE engaged ReadyOne Industries in El Paso, Texas to create SHPE-branded ReadyOne protected by Livinguard® Face Masks and Bio Face Covers for sale in the SHPE Mercado. All profits will be donated to the ALL-IN Student Relief Fund to support student members impacted by the coronavirus.

The ReadyOne protected by Livinguard® Face Mask is made of patented technology has the ability to destroy microorganisms upon contact, including bacteria and viruses, and to do so continuously and permanently. Unlike alternative metal-based solutions, Livinguard’s technology has been found to be nontoxic to both skin and lungs. The mask can be worn for seven days before washing and can be worn for 210 days while maintaining protective properties.

The Bio Face Cover with adjustable comfort earloop is made of a patented antimicrobial/antiviral fabric. It re-charges with every wash using EPA-registered chlorine bleach and is durable for at least 75 launderings. Both masks are imprinted with the SHPE logo.

“Twenty six percent of adults in the U.S. have some type of disability and the impact of the global pandemic is magnified within this vulnerable community. That’s why it is so important to me to work with ReadyOne on this initiative,” says CEO Raquel Tamez. “Many members of our Hispanic Community, including SHPE members, are essential and in need of protective equipment like the ReadyOne protected by Livinguard® N95 masks. This is an opportunity to fill that need while also supporting a company that employs a large percentage of individuals with disabilities.”

ReadyOne Industries is a nonprofit agency and part of the U.S. AbilityOne Program whose mission is to create employment opportunities for persons with significant disabilities (PWSD). Seventy-five percent of ReadyOne’s workforce consists of resilient, hardworking persons with significant disabilities as well as service – or combat-disabled veterans. All products produced at ReadyOne Industries are proudly made in the USA. President and CEO Luis Alvarez stated, “We are pleased and honored to work together with SHPE on this vital initiative. We share a mutual goal to enhance the lives of others, now and in the future. Masks may become a part of our everyday existence and we are grateful to be in a position to assist with this need.”

Masks are available for purchase now at shpe.org/mercado.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2020

City of Industry, California — The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) was launched in 1974 to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its full potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. As an organization that advocates for diversity and inclusion, and to give a voice to an under-represented community, it’s our responsibility to stand up and fight injustice to our brothers and sisters of color.

We are outraged by the violent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and the countless victims of systemic racism and brutality against the Black community that has persisted for centuries. To echo the words of National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Board Chair Jocelyn Jackson, these are “all victims of a shameful legacy of hate” and they deserve justice. In solidarity, we must stand up and demand justice. We demand an end to the senseless deadly violence against Black Americans. We demand that our country do better to combat systemic racism. Black lives matter.

SHPE remains focused on our core mission and vision as an organization. However, as part of our call to fight systemic racism, we are committed to make change happen from within SHPE. To that end, we have committed to the following:

• To publicly support and be allies to the Black community.
• To organize cultural awareness training for our community to cover topics like intersectionality, colorism, and bias.
• To encourage members who identify as Afro-Latinx to share their experiences and offer ideas on how we can be more supportive.
• To work together with other sister organizations to shape and disseminate public statements of solidarity; to create action plans that lift the underserved and underrepresented in STEM fields.
• To facilitate a series of member dialogues around the topics of cultural awareness, bias, and understanding.
• To listen to our members’ inspirations and ideas about how to improve.

Also, as a founding member of the 50K Coalition in 2015, along with the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the American-Indian Science and Engineering Society, SHPE has committed to working collectively to increase the numbers of engineering graduates from underrepresented populations to 50,000 by 2025.

The SHPE values have never meant more than they do right now. As we grieve the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed, we look again to our values to guide our response and behavior. Familia means that we take responsibility for our collective strength and challenge each other to be our best. Service means we commit the highest levels of quality, integrity, and ethical behavior; and we act with empathy, patience, and understanding. Education means we are dedicated to continuous improvement and renewal; and we learn from successes, setbacks, and each other. And Resilience means we embrace our diverse cultures and communities, which enable us to adapt, thrive, and persist with optimism.

We embrace these values now more than ever. And we will use them to guide our actions in the days and months ahead as we commit to being an ally to the Black community in the fight for justice and equality.

———

ABOUT SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

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Dear SHPE Familia,

The team at SHPE National continues to monitor the rapidly changing environment surrounding COVID-19. Our number one priority is to do our part to help ensure the safety and well-being of SHPE members, volunteer leaders, partners, and staff.

As you may know, late last week we were compelled, in light of the totality of the circumstances, to cancel our four remaining Regional Leadership Development Conferences (i.e., RLDCs 1, 2, 6 and 7). All other SHPE National meetings and planned trips were also cancelled. Please rest assured that we are exploring all feasible options to minimize the adverse impact of these cancellations. Please also know that planning for NILA 2020 and Convention 2020 continues in full force, albeit remotely and virtually; and we are ready to pivot if new developments related to the corona virus warrant.

For now, and with the health and safety of our entire SHPE community top of mind for us here at SHPE National, we ask that you please follow these recommendations:

1. Familia (Members, Volunteer Leaders, Partners, Staff) – Please read the CDC’s latest COVID-19 guidelines. On March 15th, the CDC announced that any event of 50+ attendees should be canceled for eight weeks. And just yesterday, President Trump suggested all Americans should avoid gathering in groups more than 10 people to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

2. Student Chapters – Please follow your university/college guidelines and act in accordance. Rely on the input of your chapter advisor or feel free to reach out to the Membership Department at [email protected] if you have questions or need support. We encourage your chapter to stay connected by holding virtual meetings, chat groups, and via any other creative and innovative but safe ways you may have identified to communicate.

3. Professional Chapters – Please cancel or postpone all scheduled events at least until the end of April and in accordance with CDC guidelines. As previously note for the student chapters, we encourage your chapter to stay connected by holding virtual meetings, chat groups, and any other creative and innovative but safe ways you may have identified to communicate.

4. SHPE Programs or Events – All in-person, SHPE-related programs and events coordinated and facilitated by SHPE chapters, whether student or professional, should be cancelled until the end of April and in accordance with CDC guidelines.

Here’s an article from UCToday.com with some useful information about free options for staying connected: COVID-19: Ultimate Guide to Free Video Conferencing & Collaboration .

SHPE’s National Office is fully operational. Staff is tele-working from their respective home offices and have all necessary communication tools and technologies to continue to serve and support you. As previously noted, staff is halting all non-essential travel for the remainder of March.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will continue to communicate any changes to the information and guidance herein. As your CEO, I pledge to lead SHPE through these challenging times and know that our fierce resilience as a Familia will make us stronger moving forward.

Namaste,

Raquel Tamez
CEO