A night of recognition: BCOE End of Year Gala

Celebrating the achievements and accolades of various Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) clubs, organizations and faculty, the BCOE End of Year Gala was held underneath the evening sky on May 25, 2024 at Winston Chung Hall. The BCOE community, dressed in semi-formal attire, gathered at the second floor patio. The patio itself was set up lavishly and featured long tables draped in elegant tablecloths with an arrangement of lights

intertwined in vines. Classical music from the “Bridgerton” soundtrack created a regal ambiance. With this intricate set up, the BCOE Gala returned for its second annual celebration, inviting University of California, Riverside (UCR) faculty, advisors, students and more.

In a conversation prior to the beginning of the event, Monica Saltz, a fourth year chemical engineering student, and one of three executive leads for the BCOE End of Year Planning Committee, shared that they purpose of the gala is to recognize “undergraduate researchers [and] the student organizations that keep our students involved.” By doing so, they are able to also “foster a sense of community” within BCOE.

Fernanda Rojas and Jesus A. Cruz Gomez, holding positions as BCOE professional development coordinator and executive lead for the planning committee respectively also explained that the gala also serves as an opportunity for students to “show off all of their accomplishments outside of the classroom” as well as “take an opportunity to build those interpersonal skills,” as the gala is a “good opportunity for students to network.”

Students were not the only ones to receive accolades that night. Marisol De Los Santos Lopez, another executive lead for the planning committee, clarified that students were also provided the opportunity to nominate faculty, so that they could  recognize professors and faculty members that have created “an amazing environment for students.”

Guadalupe Ruiz, Director of the Transfer Transition Program (TTP) and Harrison Williams, transfer peer mentor and fourth-year computer science major served as hosts for the night.

First to receive an award that evening was Ruiz to commemorate her 10-year journey with TTP. Providing a comment after the event ended, Ruiz explained the mission of TTP, “It’s important to recognize at what point our students come in and provide the appropriate resources, because it’s not a one shoe fits all. All of our students are really unique, so really catering to what they need is most important.”

Returning to their alma mater for the night, two alumni, Yvette Casillas from the class of 2019 and Mahmood Shaheen from the class of 2021, surprised their mentor and delivered touching statements on how Ruiz had assisted them in their college journey. Casillas had come into UCR as a transfer student, and reminisced how she felt as if her peers were “all 10 steps ahead.” Through Transfer Transition Programs, Casillas felt she was able to find a community which supported her and thanked Ruiz for her “dedication and passion.”

Soon after, student awards were presented to spotlight the achievements of BCOE student organizations, undergraduate research and scholarship recipients. Audience members drum rolled in anticipation for each winner, and as they were announced, the audience celebrated in unison with applause and shouts of praise.

President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering and fourth-year chemical engineering student, Zachary Ross, felt that the event was “like a business dinner.” He cheerfully continued, “You’re kind of just putting yourself out there with your colleagues in a professional manner, which I think is something we don’t do a lot of as college students.” 

Awardee Uma Sinha, president of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and a fourth-year bioengineering major, commented on her emotions about winning an award that emphasized the growth and impact of SWE. Sinha felt the win to be “unexpected” but added, “we really worked hard this year, so I’m happy we’ve gotten some recognition for our hard work.” 

Eric Huitt, fourth-year bioengineering student and president of Biomedical Engineering Society (BEMS), also shared a similar sentiment in receiving various accolades for the night. “[It] was a very long year with a lot of hard work, a lot of meetings … as well as collaborations with SWE as well as other organizations … It’s nice to be able to be recognized for all of our hard work and I’m excited for next year.” 

Yet, both before and after the ceremony, people took the opportunity to mingle with their peers, with many faculty joining in on conversation with students. The friendly ambiance was filled with students and faculty alike with drinks in hand, faces lit up with smiles, as they discussed relevant topics , ranging from academics, job searches, and general day-to-day happenings. 

As the sun began to set for the night, signaling the end of the gala, many students and faculty entered the dance floor. In a jubilant display of dancing to songs such as “Cheap Thrills” and “Happier Than Ever” the crowd came together and let loose. 

In hopes of what she’d like students to leave with after the Gala, Lopez remarked, “take advantage of the resources you have here; say yes to all the opportunities you have here … taking risk[s] and seeking those opportunities is very rewarding.” 

 

 

 

 

BCOE Gala, Student Awards Winners

The Most Improved Organization

Society of Women Engineers at UCR

Outstanding BCOE Community Engagement 

Biomedical Engineering Society

Outstanding K-12 Outreach Organization

Society of Women Engineers at UCR 

Outstanding Transfer of the Year

Arial Tolentino

Making a Difference 

Julliana Claire Tabuada & Martin Pedro Juarez 

Event of the Year

Sprout & About 

Society of Women Engineers at UCR & Biomedical Engineering Society

Outstanding Project of the Year

Solar Boat by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers 

Best Engineering Spirit

Aldo Rodriguez

Outstanding Leader of the Year

Eric Huitt

Outstanding Organization of the Year

Highlander Space Program