Engineering Technology Major Finalist for Board of Trustees Scholarship
Published: March 29, 2023 | Author: Abbie Cochrane | Read Time: 5 minutes
Keily Isabel Monzón De León has been named the 2023 finalist for the Southern Utah University Board of Trustees Scholarship for the College of Engineering and Computational Science. She is majoring in engineering technology with an emphasis in CAD Architectural and Civil Design, and minoring in Construction Technology. She plans to work in construction and architecture to save money to go to graduate school after graduation.
The Board of Trustees Scholarship is funded by SUU’s Board of Trustees and awarded to one outstanding SUU student at the end of their junior year. This is one of the most prestigious scholarships offered by the University, with students being nominated by their colleges, and the seven finalists represent the best of SUU.
“Keily is the ideal student,” said SUU’s Makerspace Managing Director, Nathan Johnson. “She is a determined self-starter. She is creative and innovative. Her coursework is always of the highest quality. The large majority of students in Engineering and Technology are male–this does not intimidate Keily. She is a confident leader amongst her peers. It has been a privilege to have her in my courses.”
“Keily is a serious student that has a passion for learning, showing courage and strength by being involved in opportunities that can enhance her education, build her experience, and develop her skills for her future career,” added Construction Management Lecturer Jared Baker. “I have found Keily to be intelligent, engaged, and conscientious with regards to her coursework. She shows many admirable qualities in the classroom and out, and if I were to pick three qualities I recognized the most they would be her natural ability to organize and positively contribute, her strong work ethic both individually and as part of a team, and her incredible ability to see the big picture while paying attention to detail. I have observed Keily's great ability to work with others showing great kindness, patience, and with sincere and genuine character building others up.”
Monzón De León was raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She started her higher education journey at Snow College and transferred to SUU after seeing the University represented at a college fair. During one of her last semesters at Snow, Monzón De León was still deciding between Utah Valley University and SUU. She learned more about SUU through friends of her family, who spoke highly of SUU’s Engineering Technology program, and offered for her to stay with them if she chose SUU. The rest is history.
“With the Engineering Technology program at SUU, you have a mix of construction management, civil engineering, and architecture. There’s a huge variety of classes. That’s been the big ‘why’ of my choosing SUU,” Monzón De León said. “It was the perfect match for me. And after talking to some of my engineering professors at Snow, they told me that having an engineering degree would have more weight than just having an architecture degree.”
During her time at SUU, Monzón De León has developed a clear vision of what career path she wants to take. Specifically, the classes that she’s taken have helped her realize what she likes to do in her field of study. Monzón De León is grateful to all her professors and mentors who have helped her on her educational journey. She offers special thanks to Jared Baker, a lecturer for construction management.
Monzón De León is involved on campus with the International Student Ambassadors program. These students help incoming foreign students adapt to life in a new country and help them adjust to college life.
“I’ve gotten to know a bunch of international students, and I love that I get the chance to help people who are going through the same things I did when I started as an international student and share my knowledge,” she elaborated.
To any potential international student who is considering coming to SUU, or even studying abroad, Monzón De León offers this advice;
“Go for it. Don’t be afraid of experiencing new things. Even if it might feel scary at first, you get used to where you travel to. If you are absolutely sure that you want to get out into the world, there are always resources to help you overcome any fears you may have.”
“In Guatemala, there’s not a lot of opportunities for you to go out and experience something in the field while you’re in college. You wouldn’t really work in the field you were studying until you graduated. Whereas here, there are internships in the summer and practice opportunities during the school year that help you gain more experience so that once you graduate, you can go into a formal job.”
Monzón De León’s hobbies include swimming, crafting, math, and physics. Initially, she wanted to go to medical school, but her passions were part of the reason why she decided during her last year of high school that she wanted to do something that compiled the things she enjoyed learning about. Her latest interests include 3-D modeling and dancing: specifically Salsa and Bachata.
“I love watching the floor plans come together and seeing where the cabinets will go, or the fridge. As for dancing, it might not be related to my major, but as a person who was born Latin, dancing is something I’m really passionate about,” she explained.
So far, Monzón De León considers her greatest accomplishment at SUU to be getting to know a variety of people, and getting to learn advanced parts of her field as an underclassman.
“It helps me feel more prepared, and I’ll be a more employable person once I graduate because I already know a bunch of things that are an advantage to my education. Also, the fact that I’ll be able to get some certificates with my degree is helpful too,” said Monzón De León.
She considers being nominated as a Board of Trustees Scholarship finalist to be a great honor, and thanks everyone that helped her get to where she is in the process.
Following graduation, Monzón De León plans to work and save money so that she can earn a master’s degree in interior design.
Monzón De León offers her insights to any incoming college student;
"Enjoy the journey. Even though it might be hard sometimes, it’s always rewarding when you look back. You’ve done everything you can to get here, you did your best, and it’s important to know that your best doesn’t always have to be 100%. Take it one step at a time.”
Learn more about the seven finalists for the 2023 SUU Board of Trustees Scholarship.
Tags: College of Engineering and Computational Sciences Engineering