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Program Need
Un Sabado Gigante in Engineering is a program created by several Hispanic professional organizations around Austin. These professionals saw a need to reach the Hispanic community and connect with students before they enter their critical high school years.
A report most recently released by the U.S. Labor Department suggests that over the next 10 years, the need for technical people in this country is going to grow by 50 percent. Concurrently, the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that fastest growing group is the Hispanic population from a previous rate of 7 percent to 10 percent. It is predicted that in the next 40 years that about 25 percent of the population in the United States will be Hispanics. However, only about 2 percent of the overall technical degrees being granted are to Hispanics.
Our goal is to increase the number of students seeking technical degrees and careers because the real wealth generators in the world are engineers and technical people.
We have successfully provided a forum where high risk students, Hispanic Professionals and University students can share Science and Math experiences.
- 2003 - 1st Un Sabado Gigante in Engineering - partnered with the HENAAC Conference.
- 2004 - Conducted in conjunction with the MAES National Conference.
- 2005 - Implemented during the UT Explorer weekend on March 4, 2006 (Rescheduled from September 24, 2006 due to downfall of Hurricane Rita).
- 2006 - October 21, 2006 UT at Austin
Goals
Un Sabado Gigante in Engineering intends to:
- Increase middle school students interest in engineering, math and science.
- Make engineering and science professionals available to students and parents so as to eliminate the mystique that exists regarding engineering and science careers. Create an interest in engineering projects they have participated in.
- Inspire students to set high goals for themselves and show that they can achieve success through education and science.
Partnerships
Un Sabado Gigante in Engineering is in its 5th year at the University of Texas at Austin. Through a partnership with Austin Independent School District and support from local-area engineering and technology companies such as 3M, participants have continued to grow in numbers and support.
1. Partnership with Austin Independent School District which includes the nine targeted schools. The schools are provided additional assistance through sponsored buses; these buses are for both the students and the parents. A representative from each school and a committee member help organize approximately 50 students and their parents for the program.
- Martin Middle School
- Mendez Middle School
- Webb Middle School
- Potter Middle School
- Fulmore Middle School
- Kealing Middle School
- Pearce Dobie Middle School
- Del Valle - Bailey Middle School
The program has grown within each of the targeted schools but also within other schools because of positive feedback from the students, parents, teachers and administrators. Other schools that have participated for several years are:
- Bedichek Middle School
- Burnet Middle School
- Covington Middle School
- Falfurrias (Falfurrias ISD near Corpus Christi)
- Jack C. Jordan Middle School (San Antonio ISD)
- Lamar Middle School
- Murchison Middle School
- Paredes Middle School
- Pflugerville
- Taft (Taft ISD near Corpus Christi)
2. University of Texas at Austin College of Engineering: The entire program is coordinated with the College of Engineering. All student volunteers are also provided by the College of Engineering.
3. Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Austin Chapter
4. Mexican American Engineers and Scientists Austin Chapter
5. Corporate Partnerships provide professionals to serve on planning committee and also as School Ambassadors for recruitment of students. They also provide booths at the Engineering Fair portion of Un Sabado Gigante in Engineering.
Participants include but are not limited to Hispanic Employee Resource groups from the following Austin Corporations:
- IBM
- Freescale
- Applied Materials
- 3M
- TxDot
- Dell