Through internships, on-campus jobs, and hands-on projects, Marcos gained the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the tech world. He's now preparing for the next chapter of his journey, joining Google as a software engineer in Sunnyvale, California.
Learn more about the experiences that shaped his path to success.
What inspired you to choose your major(s)?
My father, who works in IT, was a huge inspiration for me. And with my love for math and technology, I was drawn toward this major. I'm hoping to work on new and exciting technology or applications that pique my interest.
What on-campus activities or organizations have you been involved in, and how have they impacted you?
As President of Eta Kappa Nu (HKN), I was able to learn the ins and outs of managing a team and an organization, as well as event planning and leading workshops. It also was integral in me learning how to teach and helped me to understand class content better as I tutored other students. The Google Developer Student Club allowed me to meet a lot of people outside of my major and was my first leadership experience on campus. It gave me the opportunity to build websites and lead workshops. Those connections became a great help in my time as HKN President.
Who or what has had the greatest impact on you during your time at UM, and why?
College of Engineering alum, Felipe Rangel, was the one who got me into a career prep program that would drastically change the course of my college experience for the better. He also served as an inspiration as someone with my same major with a lot of success and impact. He also was a large source of career and academic advice in my early years of college.
How has your time at UM prepared you for your future career and life goals?
My time at UM has taught me both the foundational knowledge needed for my career as well as problem solving and soft skills. The experience that I have gained here will be a big boost to my early career.
Where did you intern or work that helped prepare you for your career?
My first internship at the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court threw me into the deep end and had me building an application with technologies I had never used before. This was a valuable experience as my field can be very volatile and fast-paced. My work on-campus as an XR Developer gave me a lot of experience in application development and problem solving. My final internship at Google was the best experience. I got to learn what software engineering at a high level looked like while working on and releasing my own project. Furthermore, my managers and mentor gave me valuable tips that I will be taking into my early career. I also made a multitude of connections and good memories with my fellow interns and scored a job offer.
Can you share a favorite project, award, or accomplishment from your time at UM?
Participating in the AI Horizon Hackathon at UM and creating a project from scratch was a very fun and rewarding experience that I got to share with my friends.
What advice would you give to incoming students or those considering a major in engineering?
The most important thing to hold onto and develop during your four years here is a passion to learn both in and out of the classroom. Just getting good grades will not be enough: you must make sure to get as much out of college as you possibly can in all realms (not just academically) while still maintaining a healthy balance. This of course is easier said than done and will look different for everyone. Try not to compare yourself to others but put in your utmost effort into developing your future. Finally, always remember that failure and setbacks do not have to define you but rather can be the steppingstones to success.
