Civil Engineering Study Abroad Opportunity

Hello, my name is Dante Padilla, and I am currently a senior in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of New Mexico. I have worked so hard and have been through so many ups and downs to get to this point in my life. I am also approaching the end of my six-year enlistment in the Air National Guard; however, I do plan to eventually become an officer in the Air National Guard once I obtain my degree. On top of all of that, I am also interning at an engineering company here in Albuquerque that does exceptional work for the State of New Mexico. The reason I am asking for funding is because my department at UNM offers the opportunity to travel to Europe to complete two civil engineering courses. These courses will be taught by two of our department’s most favorited professors who love taking this opportunity to guide students to learn how civil engineering works in other countries. One professor will be teaching us about transportation in Berlin and Munich, while the other professor will be teaching us how the Netherlands learned to live below sea level. I have already learned so much about how civil engineering can improve our community throughout my years at UNM, but investing in the knowledge of learning how civil engineering works in other countries can help improve my knowledge and understanding in my field of engineering. I am asking to raise $5,000 in funding for this opportunity. Tuition, travel, and accommodations are estimated to be about $8,000. If I can study abroad this summer, it will be my first time traveling to Europe, which has always been a dream of mine. I’m asking for funding because I am a full-time student working part-time while trying to pay rent and bills. However, that’s not stopping me from following my dreams. Any funding would help, and I already appreciate the support from everyone that has already been there for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this!