Jiminez, Mia

It was in 2009 that Mia Jimenez and her family visited the Solar Decathlon on the National Mall for the first time, and Mia recognized what she wanted to be involved in once she was an undergraduate engineering student.  The Solar Decathlon is a biennial event that occurs in California, at which energy-efficient mobile-size houses created by college students are showcased for two weeks.

A civil engineering major, Mia has completed a minor in Advanced French for Business and a concentration in Chinese. After completing her B.S. in Civil Engineering, Mia's goal is to pursue an Masters in Structural Engineering and then an MBA. Her plan is to gain experience in the design-build private sector and later start her own civil engineering firm.  In addition to her role as an engineer, Mia wishes to contribute to society through volunteer work, such as creating hospitals, community centers, and homes in underserved areas around the world.  She feels her language skills will contribute significantly to her relationships with other international businesses, enabling her to communicate and understand their culture.

Mia has been involved in numerous students organizations during her time at VT, to include: the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, ASCE - Concrete Canoe, Civil Engineering Ambassadors, Teach for Madame, SGA, and Pi Delta Phi - French Honor Society.  Her volunteer work has involved coaching ice skating for the Special Olympics, coaching Boys and Girls Club soccer, acting as interpreter for a mission trip to Ecuador, and directing and coaching at a soccer camp for girls. In her free time, Mia enjoys reading, playing the piano, learning new languages, playing and watching soccer, ice skating, running, and tutoring.