Student Profile – Kelly Nguyen
Kelly Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese American and Master’s candidate in Software Engineering at SJSU, specializing in data science. With her graduation set for May 2025, Kelly has made impressive strides in her journey. She is the first in her family to pursue higher education, driven not only by a desire to honor her parents’ sacrifices, but also by expressing her passion in life. Kelly stated, “I have no one else than my parents to thank for building me up and providing me with such a supportive foundation.”
Growing up, Kelly always enjoyed solving problems, whether it was building with Legos or expressing her creativity through baking, art, and design. This love for creating and finding solutions sparked a passion for software engineering. “I realized I could channel my creativity into UI/UX design and bring my solutions to life through coding,” Kelly said.
Kelly’s academic journey has been accompanied by valuable hands-on experience. During an internship at Stanford University’s School of Biodesign, she helped develop CardinalKit, a mobile medical framework for doctors and developers to create their own applications. This experience solidified her desire to align software engineering with the betterment of communities.
Currently, Kelly is a full-time intern at Zipline, a logistics and drone delivery startup whose mission aligns perfectly with her own goals. Being on the Enterprise Systems team, she works on end-to-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications and collaborates with other developers. “The experience has taught me so much, not only about responsible engineering but also how a strong company culture can impact your career,” she says.
Her advice for students seeking internships is: “Don’t be afraid to network and put yourself out there!” Kelly applied to over 50 internships, and the opportunities she landed came from networking. She encourages students to stay persistent, even when the process feels discouraging, because it will ultimately pay off.
With graduation in sight, she reflects on her undergraduate and graduate studies, Kelly admits to experiencing imposter syndrome, a phenomenon of self-doubt, intellect, and accomplishments among high-achieving individuals. “There were so many nights I thought Society of Women Engineers wasn’t for me,” she confesses. But by continuing to learn, she discovered her niche and overcame her self-doubt. Her advice to others struggling with the same feelings is to trust in your abilities. “You wouldn’t have made it this far without reason. Believe in yourself, and that belief will take you far.”
Kelly hopes to secure a full-time job in software engineering after graduation and move to San Francisco permanently. But more than anything, her end goal is to be proud of her work and happy with what she’s accomplished. As she continues her journey, Kelly Nguyen remains committed to making a meaningful impact in the world through her software engineering skills and beyond.
Aviation Activities for September:
On September 21, the Precision Flight Team, faculty, and staff hosted Open Day at the Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose. Attendees were excited to learn about the club and to see the giant trophy the team earned at their most recent flight competition. Several attendees expressed a great interest in being a part of the SJSU Aviation program. Club officers Caleb Crockett, Alec Sandy, and Juan Hernandez organized the event, along with the help of faculty (Dr. Yuwei He, Dr. Kris Borgen, Wendy Hales Mora, Edgar Mora, Gretchen Kelly, Jason Hernandez, Dr. Fred Barez) and staff (Binbin Wang, Debbie Martinez).
On Sunday, September 15, a similar event was hosted at the Hayward Executive Airport: Dr. Yuwei He and Dr. Fred Barez were in attendance. Keep up the good work, Flight Team!
Hispanic Heritage Month – Fernando Sánchez López
Fernando Sánchez López (Ferch), a 2025 Computer Engineering student at San José State University (SJSU), was awarded the 2024 CSU Trustee Award for his resilience and academic achievements. Ferch is a great example of perseverance, despite facing significant adversity, including being raised in México by his grandparents after his parents immigrated to the U.S., becoming undocumented, and relying only on scholarships to fund his education due to his status.
He sees his ability to “speak the language of computers” as a vital skill, and has been actively involved in community-building efforts throughout his education. His involvement at SJSU includes working with various campus centers and student organizations, such as the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES), where he found support as a Latinx engineering student.
Beyond academics, Ferch is passionate about giving back to the community, particularly by encouraging underrepresented students to pursue STEM careers. His open discussions about his undocumented status and financial struggles have inspired others facing similar challenges. The CSU Trustee Award not only provides him with financial relief but also validates his hard work and contributions. This motivates him to continue advocating for diversity, inclusion, and social justice in STEM fields.
California becomes latest state to restrict student smartphone use at school featuring Prof. Ahmed Banafa
California school districts will soon be required to create rules restricting student smartphone use under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law aims to reduce distractions in classrooms and address the mental health impact of social media on students. However, critics argue it places too much burden on teachers and raises concerns about emergencies.