Hispanic Engineers Club Closes Generational Tech Gap

Jan. 16, 2024
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Students like Irbis Martinez often step into the role of tech support as their family members and elders adapt to new cellphones and internet apps or adopt life-critical, cloud-based technology, such as medical video conferencing that became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even now, my grandparents use Zoom for their doctors’ appointments 50% of the time,” said Martinez, an environmental engineering senior and president of the UA’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, or SHPE.

But Martinez can’t always answer the calls. That’s where La Familia, now in its 22nd year, comes in. SHPE organizes La Familia, a free annual event, to teach community members, especially seniors, how to use technology confidently and independently.

“Our grandparents and parents raised us; it’s high time for us to teach them a few things,” said Martinez.

Two workshops, provided in English and Spanish, in November 2023 were geared to what family and community members in Tucson, wanted most: navigating apps and finding jobs.

SHPE alumni also are key to the success of La Familia.

“SHPE motivates more students to enroll, finish, and get their degrees,” said Jesus Aceviedo, senior manager at IBM and 2003 president of SHPE. Aceviedo presented La Familia’s opening keynote in English and Spanish.

First-generation college students, in particular, have a 92.2% higher dropout rate than students who aren’t first generation, according to SHPE’s 2023 U.S. Latinos in Engineering Tech Report.

“The graduation rate is 87% if you join SHPE versus students not in SHPE, which is a 50% graduation rate,” said Aceviedo, encouraging students from all backgrounds to find a supportive familia within the College of Engineering.

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