My name is Luis Gamarra, I am a Computer Engineering major. I am a junior here at UCF. I graduated from Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida. So far my favorite classes have been Computer Organization and Computer Science 1.

Computer Organization introduced me to how a computer system works and the components that make it up. I also got to understand how a processor works and understand Moore’s Law and how it relates to computer processing power. Lastly, in Computer Organization I got to code in MIPS assembly language. Although it was a little difficult to understand in the beginning, it taught me how processors process different commands. On the other hand, Computer Science 1 was a very difficult course. The course mainly focuses on different algorithms using the C programming language. I strongly believe that CS1 (Computer Science 1) broaden my way of thinking and taught me new programming tools and techniques that Software Engineers use everyday. For a while, I was just rushing through college and didn’t really take time to enjoy being a college student. With that being said, I wanted to get involved at UCF and meet new people. After reading an email about the STEM Ambassador program, I became very interested because it was a good opportunity to get involved at UCF, give back to the community, network with people, and grow professionally. I am hoping to make a difference in the community by increasing interest in STEM majors. I believe that STEM majors are challenging but can lead to a great career and contribution to our world today. To all STEM students, don’t limit your knowledge to what you learn in class. Work on your own projects, conduct your own experiments, and make your own discoveries. Not only will that give you talking points in internship/job interviews, it will also increase your passion within your field and who knows… maybe you will discover something new. Studying a STEM major demands a lot of time outside of the classroom to study. However, during my free time I like to do outdoor activities with friends like visiting state parks, kayaking, running, go to the beach, hiking, play sports, or just hang up a hammock and hang out. I also like to travel and visit new places. The world is a big place and there is so much to see!