Reno Reporter

A University of Nevada, Reno, scholar from the National Science Foundation-funded Creating Retention and Engagement for Academically Talented Engineers (CREATE) program recently discussed his ambitions for the future.

According to Nevada Today, Omar Carillo is banking on his engineering skills to develop his own construction company, an idea that was planted by his father.  

“My interest in engineering came as a kid when I would see my father come home from a long day of work in construction,” Carillo told Nevada Today. “He would tell me all about the job sites he was working on and what the new building was going to become. Sometimes we would walk in buildings and he would show me some of the work he himself had done on the buildings. This sparked my interest and ultimately led me to pursue a career in engineering, where you have the potential to actually design the things my dad proudly built and turn people's dreams into reality.”

Carillo added that being able to design a building is a bonus and hopes to inspire other “first-generation students to pursue higher education by offering financial and guided support.”

According to Carrillo, "The CREATE program has been an enormous help in my education. Besides the financial support it offers, the program has so many great resources that helped guide me through my college experience when I felt lost. Being a first-generation student, there were times where I felt completely lost… and CREATE was always there to support, offering things such as job opportunities (and) career advice. The faculty in the program were always there to help guide me along the way."

He added that Steffany Yang and Skylar Bogardus have mentored him while he has been in the program and given him advice concerning his academic career.