Student Spotlight: Adrian Reyes
Adrian Reyes always wanted to be an engineer, but the pandemic and the prospect of an unknown duration of online classes caused him to pause his schooling in 2020 as a freshman at Cal State Northridge. He pivoted to a successful welding career – which he enjoyed – but often thought about returning to school to pursue his engineering degree.
He finally did just that. After enrolling in El Camino College in 2023, he now plans to graduate with the Class of 2026 this spring.
In his time at El Camino, Reyes found academic support, completed an internship that led to a full-time job, and made friendships that will last a lifetime. He feels prepared for his future and will transfer to Cal State Long Beach in the fall to continue his studies in mechanical engineering.
“I have a really cool job related to my major – honestly the best job I ever had – I have a good schedule, and I am doing exactly what I want to do,” said Reyes, who works at Northrop Grumman as an engineering technician. “When I first got to El Camino, I was very nervous; I wasn’t sure where I would fit academically and didn’t know if I would thrive in college. But with my technical background, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail I learned in my welding job, I found engineering was a natural next step.”
Another key to Reyes’ success was joining El Camino’s Puente Project, a comprehensive learning community and support program that is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. He was one of the first students to join Puente’s new STEM cohort three years ago and through guidance from counselors and faculty, he made many friends with similar goals and interests.
“Puente has done so much for me, I can’t thank them enough for the many opportunities they’ve offered me and my friends,” Reyes added. “The Puente program introduced me to everything I know about El Camino. They offered a safe space and a community for students like me, as well as fresh-out-of-high school students and helped us to see what our life would be like once we left El Camino.”
Reyes said the personalized assistance offered by the Puente counselors helped him navigate his academic journey. Outside of his classwork, the outstanding student is a member of the college’s MESA program and treasurer for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Always ready to recommend El Camino to everyone, Reyes is happy to report that his brother has applied to attend the fall semester, and he already has meetings set up with Puente.
“The advice I give to others considering El Camino is don’t be afraid to take that chance,” he said. “It’s OK to restart. It’s OK to not know everything. It’s OK to do it your own way – not every path is linear. It’s OK to make mistakes. I mean, I’m an example of that. I thought I was going to be a welder until I wasn’t. Now I’m following my dream. I always wanted to do something in engineering for as long as I could remember and here I am. I’m in a pretty sweet spot.”