UHCL : STEM Careers Grant Helps Students Find Success, Give Back

Press release from University of Houston-Clear Lake:

June 28, 2021

Through the Pathways to STEM Careers grant, University of Houston-Clear Lake students are successfully attaining their
educational and professional goals — students like David Langner.

The grant targets Hispanic students choosing a STEM-related field of study, offering
support services and other strategies to increase their academic and professional
success.

Langner, who transferred to UHCL in 2018 from a community college and enrolled in
UH-Clear Lake's Mechanical Engineering program, said he first joined Pathways as a peer mentor because he hoped to make a difference
in the lives of freshman and sophomore students.

"I joined Pathways in 2020 because I thought I had some knowledge and experience that
I could share, and it was a great way to give a hand," he said. "Eventually, I became
a tutor for several professors in the Mechanical Engineering program, and I enjoyed
helping out other students because I was not given that opportunity."

Langner said he particularly enjoyed working with Professor and Program Chair Jeff Mountain, for whom he also did teaching assistant (TA) work as well as tutoring. Despite interruptions
to his tutoring schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued grading and giving
feedback to students in their reports.

His Pathways to STEM experience ultimately led to an internship at Re: 3D, one of
the largest 3D industrial printing companies in Bay Area Houston. He started his internship
in March 2020, and upon completion in May, was hired full time as a manufacturing
engineer specialist.

"I was very excited to get this job," he said. "I didn't know much about industrial
printing when I got here, but I learned a whole lot. I give thanks to my professors
who prepared me in many ways. That's why I have this full-time position."

For more information about UHCL's Mechanical Engineering program, go online.

This press release was produced by University of Houston-Clear Lake. The views expressed here are the author’s own.