EXPLORING SOLUTIONS, INVENTING THE FUTURE
Perla Hernandez's lifelong curiosity as to how pieces of the puzzle fit together to track time, to discover stars or to spark electricity led her to pursue a St. Ambrose Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
It is a program where students actively pursue answers that cannot be found in books.
And, for Perla, experiencing learning is the best part of the educational journey.
"Mechanical engineering is a strong foundation for any specialized field of engineering. It encompasses the ability to design, process and complete tangible products or ideas. In a way, it's almost a glorified version of inventing," she said.
Perla did not have to invent a passion for Mother Earth, nor a commitment to join a generational imperative to protect and repair the environment. She came equipped with both.
At St. Ambrose, however, she discovered opportunities to feed that passion, and has gained skills that will help her protect and repair the environment.
In 2018, Perla assisted Associate Professor of Engineering Yunye Shi, PhD, on a research project into biomass gasification, which opened her eyes to alternative ways to deal with waste.
During a service trip to Memphis in March 2019, she spent five days picking up trash from the shores of the Mississippi River. She joined 70 students from across the U.S. to remove tires encased in mud, appliances, toys, bits and pieces of Styrofoam, and hundreds – if not thousands – of plastic bottles.
"The service trip really showed me that people should work for solutions in the problems they see in the world," Perla said.
She will do that.
Eventually, Perla plans to earn a graduate degree in environmental engineering. But for now, she is exploring opportunities to launch an engineering career that will help her ask – and actively answer – questions that could help her quite literally save the world.
As she looks ahead to the start of an impactful career, Perla is particularly interested in engineering solutions related to clean water, air quality, natural disasters, and more.
"Eventually, I want to focus on finding alternative fuels, or smarter ways of using electricity, or alternative ways of disposing of trash," she said. "I want to be on the forefront of inventing."
The explorer in her also has found boundless opportunities to make the most of her college experience. She's a member of Model UN, Marching Band, Campus Ministry, and more.
"I'm not a straight A student; I'm really here to gain experiences and learn," said Perla, who is an Honors Program student. "I'd love to have straight As, but that might mean I'm in my room all day. It's fine if you do that. That's just not me."
DETERMINED TO LEARN, READY TO WORK
Perla's schedule is packed. A typical Monday starts at 8 a.m., and she navigates a non-stop pace that includes four rigorous classes: fluid mechanics, environmental ethics, thermodynamics, and mechatronics and electronics.
Studying, job hunting, planning for upcoming meetings and the week ahead also take up a good part of a day for the determined senior.
Yes, she admits, it's a grind. But for Perla, opportunities for pushing through, overcoming adversity, and meeting and conquering challenges make her St. Ambrose experience all the more meaningful.
Easy just won't do it for this driven young woman.
"One reason I chose to focus on a math-heavy, machine-heavy major is because I care so much," she said. "It is important for me to do well because I am determined to take off my training wheels right after graduation and help the environment.
"It's that perspective that reorients me when I get into a funk, when I have endless hours of homework, a project to finish, and a test or three in a day. I know it isn't going to stay this way forever, and I am here because I care so much. I want to provide a world for future generations," she said.
Perla joined SAU as a transfer student in 2017 and said it can be scary to be new. "Even more so if you are from a different country," she said. So, she became an International Student Ambassador.
Perla helps her international peers feel at home, find their way on campus and in the community. She's determined to be a supportive presence, someone who listens and encourages. It's about so much more than helping the new students acclimate and fostering an inclusive community. In the doing, Perla forges personal growth that makes her stronger.
Growing stronger, by the way, happens often at St. Ambrose.
"I think Ambrose tries hard to give opportunity to the underdogs, to maybe the people who got glossed over or were underrated," she said. "You can come in as a C student and leave as an A student. They really just want you to learn. They want you to retain and actually grow."
In each conversation she has, each story she hears, Perla finds strength in learning more about cultures, life experiences, landscapes, and traditions. It broadens her understanding and challenges her worldview.
"We have students from Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the Netherlands, Ecuador, Ireland, and more," she said. "I can learn so much from them and help them out, too. It is so cool to realize we are young people from completely different parts of world, and we have so much in common."
It is a realization that invites inclusion and friendships and reflects Perla's driven commitment always to do what is right, not what is easy.
LOOKING OUTSIDE HERSELF
When Perla interned at Archer Daniels Midland this past summer, the company asked for volunteers to help with its community outreach programs.
Perla got her hands dirty working in a garden for Feed Iowa First. She picked green beans under the hot summer sun and was surprised when a supervisor told her she was the only intern out of four – each from a different Iowa college – who accepted the company's invitation to serve a cause unrelated to themselves.
"I thought that was weird because to me, it's almost like second nature. It's almost not even a thought. It's engrained in me," Perla said.
Perla came to St. Ambrose intent on serving the world around her, on working for social justice and serving as an instrument for greater good. She was prepared to seek opportunities to make a difference. She quickly learned she wouldn't have to look long or far.
"Social justice has been a core value of mine, and it was strengthened when I came to St. Ambrose," she said. "Service is a big thing here, it is not only acknowledged, it is proclaimed. And the best thing I can do is lead by example."
Perla has spent two years as president of Ambrosians for Peace and Justice (APJ). Last year, the club explored topics such as human trafficking and immigration reform. They held an annual clothing drive, hosted an event to call attention to the plight of the homeless, and served the surrounding community in several volunteer capacities. Earlier this fall, they learned about homelessness from a speaker from Humility Homes. Soon, APJ members will give a day of service to the organization.
Perla plans for APJ to collaborate with other clubs and organizations on campus, such as the environment-focused GreenLife, as a way to spread awareness and increase advocacy. "If I can spark an interest in someone else, I feel I have made a difference, even as one person," she said.
"Perla is at a place where she can look outside herself and care about others and see what she can do to make a difference," said Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, director of faith formation for Campus Ministry at SAU. "When she sees a need or something that isn't right or unjust, she wants to do something to address it, not just talk. She is a do-er.
"Perla is a great example of an Ambrosian," she added.
Perla has served as a Church lector, offering readings in Spanish as a way to welcome and help students from different cultures feel at home in Christ the King Chapel.
She has volunteered at Café on Vine in Davenport, which serves meals to people experiencing homelessness. The meal is appreciated, but moreso the kindness Perla dispenses.
"I will sit down with the people and just start a conversation," she said. One time a woman who was done eating got up to leave and paused to thank Perla for talking with her. It meant a lot to both women. "Doing that cost me nothing but some time. And I got such a reward for doing it," she said.
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