When Sofia Martinez joined her high school robotics team the summer before
her senior year, she had no idea it would spark an interest in engineering
that would shape her college experience. The Pasadena, CA native credited
that transformative robotics competition with "demystifying engineering"
and spurring her to apply to study environmental engineering at across the
country at Drexel.
The transition from West Coast to East Coast was an adjustment, but
Martinez leaned on the DELTA Summer Bridge program her first year to
acclimate. The program provides a tight-knit community of engineering students through team building and cultural excursions
around Philadelphia in the weeks before their first year and mentorship
opportunities throughout their Drexel career.
"As a California kid new to the Northeast, I wasn't sure what to expect
from my new home," Martinez recalled. "But the friends I made in DELTA
helped me get my bearings, both on campus and off. We still get together
when classes allow to explore Philly and remind each other what brought us
here in the first place - our passion for engineering."
The early social foundation provided by DELTA allowed Martinez to quickly
jump into all that Drexel offers. She secured an impactful co-op at AKRF,
an engineering consulting firm, where she gained valuable experience
designing green stormwater infrastructure. This hands-on engineering work
solidified Martinez's passion for water resources.
Martinez has also been active with Engineers Without Borders and Drexel's
student radio station, WKDU. Through Engineers Without Borders, she
traveled to Guatemala to implement a latrine and handwashing station
project. The on-the-ground international experience exposed her to
real-world applications of engineering concepts learned in class. Her
involvement with Drexel radio provided an artistic, non-engineering outlet
while allowing her to connect with other like-minded students.
With graduation approaching in June, Martinez credited the DELTA community
and her Drexel experience in Philadelphia with solidifying her commitment
to water resources engineering. "Being in a major city on the East Coast
has opened up opportunities I couldn’t have dreamed of when I left home,"
she said. "I was grateful I took the chance to expand my horizons."
Learn more about the DELTA Summer Program here.