Adrian Buitron Boada

Mechanical Engineering
University of California, Merced

Adrian was born and raised in Ecuador, Quito city, till moving to Los Angeles (California) at sixteen. As a young immigrant and English learner, he raised awareness about the importance of education and the social/cultural differences surrounding him while completing his studies in high school. He soon understood the flaws in the school system that prevented him from taking AP classes because he was placed in the English Learning Program, and oftentimes was told that he could not assist college because teachers and staff didn’t know about AB540 and DACA-eligible students who could receive financial aid. This sparked his motivation for pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree in college and getting involved in his community. Eventually, he was admitted into the University of California, Merced in 2019. Adrian became involved in the school Cross Country team, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Ascending Scholars Mentorship program (founder), and works for the Offices of Technology, Innovation, and Industry Relations; Services for Undocumented Students, and the Mechanical Engineering Department. Nowadays, Adrian aspires to become a Ph.D. student and hopes to inspire many other scholars to pursue their dreams regardless of their backgrounds.