04/24/2023
By David Claudio
One of UMass Lowell's Strategic Plan's pillars is creating an inclusive culture. The goal is to improve our diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts. From an engineering point of view, it is easy to see numbers at the aggregate level that can quantify our progress toward those goals; after all, we cannot improve what we cannot measure. However, in the information age in which we currently live, it is important to pause for a moment and see the faces connected to the numbers and statistics. One of those faces is Yaneliz García Ruiz, a senior in Civil Engineering who will walk during the 2023 UML Commencement ceremony.
Yaneliz's name is often found at the heart of conversations regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. As a Hispanic woman of color in engineering, she characterizes the intersectionality of three diversity dimensions that have lacked representation in the STEM fields, in particular in engineering. Yet, when I met Yaneliz for the first time, I could see she embraced all three of her dimensions- and their intersectionality- with such power that it can only be described with the juxtaposition of these three words: proud, energetic, graceful.
Yaneliz is the departing President of the UML Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and External Vice President of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). She was also active with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a strong advocate for women in STEM fields. "Yaneliz has coordinated the efforts of the UMass Lowell SHPE, NSBE, and ASCE student chapters on several occasions, such as the Ken Canty, PE guest lecture in February 2022. Yaneliz's esprit de corp for her fellow students and our esteemed university is remarkable," said Professor Ed Hajduk, Civil Engineering Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies and ASCE faculty advisor.
"Yaneliz's enthusiasm and positive attitude are infectious; I think this is partly what makes her such a great leader," added Paulette Brooks, Undergraduate Program Coordinator for the Francis College of Engineering.
Born in Puerto Rico, Yaneliz moved with her family to New England in 2011. In 2019, she received the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship, which has assisted in her studies over the past four years. Other scholarships she has received include the Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion SmithGroup Scholarship, the Women in Defense Scholarship Greater Boston Chapter, and The Rossiter Family Scholarship on Behalf of William Rizzo.
During her time at UML, Yaneliz has held several internships for companies such as Commodore Builders (Waltham, MA), SmithGroup Inc. (Detroit, MI), and Nitsch Engineering (Boston, MA). She has worked as a Structural Engineer and Safety and Regulatory Compliance Officer. Still, with all her professional experience, Yaneliz has always felt the urge to reach out and help others. This is the reason why she volunteered in 2021 to promote Civil Engineering at the Lowell Boys and Girls Club. This is also the reason she joined SHPE and NSBE.
When Yaneliz joined SHPE two years ago, she noticed that the student chapter was not operating at its full potential. She decided to do something about it. "After attending a Region 4 Leadership Development Conference (RLDC), Yaneliz became empowered and took on the role of SHPE-UML President this academic year. Under her leadership, SHPE has grown dramatically, and the E-Board team has grown and been very active," said Héctor Valdés, UML Facilities Project Manager and UML SHPE founder and co-advisor. "Yaneliz brought the spark needed to grow the SHPE UML chapter. Her energy is contagious," said James Sherwood, Dean of the Francis College of Engineering.
Yaneliz is a great role model. She has taught us that elevating those around us is the key to achieving success. "Yaneliz is an individual who strives to be the best version of herself on a daily basis. Not only is she a great leader, she's also a great friend and student who pushes others around her to the next level, all while maintaining a humble demeanor. I have learned a lot from simply getting to know her, and she's taught me how to be a better professional, and for that, I thank her," said Andrés Sánchez, SHPE Internal VP.
As we approach the end of this chapter in Yaneliz's life, I am grateful and proud of the work she has done and the legacy she leaves behind. "Yaneliz's success through her college career has paved the way for future Latinx students to become successful in their field. I have no doubt that she will grow to be a great businesswoman, one that changes futures," said Amanda Mello, SHPE External VP.
We wish nothing but the best for Yaneliz. We know she will be successful in any future endeavors. Yaneliz, please keep being who you are: a proud, energetic, and graceful Hispanic woman of color Engineer.
¡Felicidades, Ingeniera García Ruiz!