Building Futures and Familia: SHPE National Conference

For engineering students striving to build dream careers, the SHPE National Convention is a life-changing opportunity. Every year, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) hosts a national convention to bring together corporate sponsors and top STEM talent from around the country. This year, nine Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) students attended the SHPE National Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.  

Omar Escudero ’26, TAMU-CC SHPE President, has attended three SHPE National Conventions. At each, Escudero had the opportunity to travel to new states, attend workshops, and network with peers and professionals.   

At this year's conference, Escudero and seven other students from TAMU-CC were invited to networking suites. These suites are hosted by industry sponsors of the conference, including Texas Instruments, John Deere, Nucor, and many more. When students visit these suites, they have opportunities to network with professionals and talk with recruiters from the companies.  

“Out of 15,000 people attending the conference, eight of our TAMU-CC students were invited to go to these networking suites. I think that really shows how special our school is and how we prepare our SHPE members,” said Escudero.  

For Escudero, SHPE is more than an organization that helps him build career skills — it’s a familia. Originally from Venezuela, Escudero came to the United States for college. When he arrived, he didn’t even speak English; now he is the president of a college organization, leading other students to bright futures.  

“The SHPE familia is such a special thing because you get to meet other students that face the same challenges and want the same outcomes as you,” said Escudero.  

SHPE has become a meaningful community for students like Escudero, providing a space to build lifelong bonds with fellow Hispanic students while developing skills that continue to brighten his future.