Bienvenido a Auburn: Engineering hosts first virtual open house in Spanish

This summer, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering hosted its first virtual open house aimed at Hispanic and Latino engineers overseas. The event, “Oportunidades de Posgrados en Ingeniería en Auburn University,” was conducted in Spanish to target potential students who may not yet have the English language skills required for graduate school, as well as those who are ready to apply.

“Auburn currently has many exceptional Hispanic and Latino graduate students across the different engineering programs, and there are many more remarkable people who aspire to follow in their footsteps but are stalled by language barriers and misconceptions about the cost of graduate school,” said Jorge Rueda, the David Dixon Associate Professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Rueda hosted the open house in partnership with Engineering Online and Continuing Education.

Held on July 25, the event attracted about 60 prospective graduate students from at least six different Spanish-speaking countries. Participants represented a diverse range of ages and experience, from freshman engineering students to seasoned engineers with more than 10 years working in industry.

Attendees learned about application requirements and deadlines, funding opportunities, available graduate programs, student life in Auburn, and considerations for students moving to the U.S. with their families. They also heard the inspiring story of Colombia native Diego Ramirez, who once wanted nothing more than to earn a graduate degree at an American university and continue his career as a civil engineer in the U.S. However, Ramirez was overwhelmed with the challenge of learning English and how to pay for his advanced education.

After becoming familiar with Auburn Engineering’s graduate programs, available financial opportunities, and success stories from other Latino engineers, he set out to improve his language skills and meet all application requirements. Ramirez later applied and was accepted to Auburn, graduating in 2023 with a Master of Science in Civil Engineering, specializing in construction engineering and management. He now works for a leading electrical construction company in Phoenix, Arizona.

Following the open house, more than 50 percent of open house attendees completed a survey confirming their intention to apply to an Auburn Engineering graduate program, with nearly 20 percent preparing to apply for the spring 2025 semester.

Rueda said he hopes to host another open house in Spanish in early 2025.