Jessica DaSilva, a third year Civil Engineering major of Cuban and Brazilian descent from Miami, FL and member of the Georgia Tech Honors Program has been awarded the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholarship.  The HSF was founded in 1975 to empower Hispanic students through efforts to support completion of a college degree and achieve their full potential.  It aims to create the next generation of Hispanic leaders who can create a positive impact in American society and provides mentorship, leadership training, networking opportunities, and scholarships to support students and their families.  Jessica’s hard work and dedication to her studies as a Hispanic student were key to her selection as an HSF Scholarship recipient.

Jessica is an active and accomplished member of the Georgia Tech and Honors Program communities.  She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers,  Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society), Chi Epsilon (Civil Engineering Honor Society), and DanceTech.  She was just elected the President of Georgia Tech’s chapter of Chi Epsilon.  In her spare time, she loves dancing, travelling, trying new cuisine, and spending time with her friends and family. 

One of the experiences that Jessica has valued the most in the Honors Program is the opportunity to take smaller, discussion-based classes that have expanded her worldview.  She reflected that: 

One of my favorite classes that I have taken with the Honors Program is the Food and Society course taught by Dr. Bill Winders. I took this class in spring 2024 when I first came to Tech, and I really valued everything I learned in the class, such as learning about our complex food system and understanding the history of food and how it has evolved. Not only was I able to expand my knowledge on food and society, but I was able to learn a lot more about Tech and what our school does to contribute to our food and society system.

After graduation, Jessica plans to work towards attaining her Professional Engineering (PE) license, earning a master’s degree in structural engineering, and working as a civil engineer.  She is excited about what the future holds and appreciative of the support and recognition of the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation.  The Honors Program congratulates Jessica DaSilva on her recognition and is excited to see what she accomplishes in the future.