From Campus to Community

Just as he rose to tell some local middle schoolers about engineering as a career path, Andres Vidal, a master’s student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, hesitated. “Do I really have anything to offer these students?” he thought.

That volunteer experience taught Vidal more about himself than he expected. “As I talked, I felt excited about the subject and realized that my career path is something that I enjoy and know a lot about. By volunteering, I realized it’s not only what I can do with my knowledge, but how I can help my community and inform my personal development.”

For Penn Engineering students like Vidal, finding ways to volunteer and make a difference in the communities around Penn’s campus is now easier than ever. The Penn Engineering Student Learning and Engagement (PESTLE) program is an online resource that helps connect them to a variety of volunteer activities. Students can choose and register for a service opportunity and track and submit their service hours, a critical efficiency as Penn Engineering encourages all students to volunteer at least 20 hours during their time on campus.

During his time at Penn, Vidal has participated in volunteer opportunities that include being a demo speaker and leader for a demonstration on biopolymers and encapsulation for BETA Day, which features activities that introduce middle and high school students to concepts in genetic engineering, biomaterials and robotics.

This story was written by Amy Biemiller. To read the full article, please visit Penn Engineering Magazine.