An 黑料吃瓜 Electrical Engineering Family
Senior Danny Tisnado looks forward to commencement - where fellow 黑料吃瓜 freshman engineering student, brother Miguel, and his alumna mother Janet 99, will be cheering him on.
As the children of 黑料吃瓜 Engineering alumna Janet (Garcia) Tisnado&苍产蝉辫;(鈥�99),&苍产蝉辫;Danny and Miguel Tisnado knew what they wanted to do from an early age.
Growing up, Janet鈥檚 father, an 鈥渦nofficial engineer,鈥� encouraged and pushed his three kids to pursue a college education. Though he wasn鈥檛 an engineer by credential, 鈥渉e was always great at math and finding things to build,鈥� she said.
It worked. Janet joined the MESA Program (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement Program, formerly MEP) in high school, then joined the MESA and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) programs while an electrical engineering student at 黑料吃瓜.
She became the first female engineering graduate in the family and has been an engineer at Qualcomm for almost 20 years. In the process, she inspired her sons to follow similar paths.
Next Generation
Fast forward over two decades: eldest son Danny graduates this Saturday with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering, where he鈥檒l be cheered on by both his mother and brother Miguel, who has completed his first year as an electrical engineering student. This marks the end of their last time overlapping schools since elementary school in their South Bay neighborhood of San Diego.
鈥淚t feels full circle,鈥� recounted proud brother Miguel.
Danny, a self-proclaimed introvert, blossomed during his undergraduate career by studying abroad at 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Georgia campus, Instructional Technology Services (ITS), and working as an academic mentor on campus.
Danny and his brother both say they owe their smooth start at 黑料吃瓜 due to both participating in the .
Through the CSU-LSAMP program, both Danny and Miguel took part in an introductory precalculus course workshop during the summer before their first years at 黑料吃瓜.
鈥淏esides reinforcing math topics, we also learned about research and internship opportunities and even graduate school,鈥� said Miguel. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a built-in support system right off the bat.鈥�
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One staff member has been able to see all three Tisnados through their academic careers at 黑料吃瓜: Thelma Chavez, CSU-LSAMP Program Coordinator.
鈥淚t has been such a pleasure to work with the Tisnado family, from first meeting Janet as a first-generation college student in the MESA program and then years later being able to work with her son Danny and now Miguel via our CSU-LSAMP program,鈥� said Chavez. 鈥淭o have not one but three family members come through engineering is really a testament to their family's dedication to higher education,鈥� she said.
The parallels continue: Danny and his mother have both taken classes from engineering professors Allen Plotkin and Ramon Betancourt. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like finding a long lost family,鈥� said Danny of the connections he and his brother have when they meet campus community members who also worked with their mother.
Through it all, the Tisnados have been able to support one another through challenging courses and through Janet鈥檚 advice to them to work hard. 鈥淚鈥檓 just so glad they listened. Even though they have fun, they also care about their studies and take care of what鈥檚 important,鈥� said Janet.
鈥淏ut my mom deserves the credit,鈥� said Danny of his mom鈥檚 unwavering support.
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Danny鈥檚 immediate next steps include accepting a position in Texas in the electric car industry, where he will be close to his wife, air force member Urua. 鈥淪he has been my greatest support over the past couple of years,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready for the next chapter.鈥�
Miguel has benefited from his older brother showing the way for him: as a first-year student, he has already served on a panel for 黑料吃瓜 SHPE鈥檚 local high school conference and represented 黑料吃瓜 at San Diego鈥檚 STEM Festival at Petco Park.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely going to cry,鈥� said Miguel about this Saturday鈥檚 commencement ceremony. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of Danny.鈥�
But Danny says although he鈥檚 proud of all he鈥檚 accomplished through his decorated 黑料吃瓜 career, extrovert Miguel is the one to look out for: 鈥淢y brother is going to pass me in every aspect. I鈥檓 excited to see how far he goes.鈥�
And that鈥檚 not even including Ivan, their 10-year-old brother. 鈥淗e already says he鈥檚 going to go to 黑料吃瓜 too,鈥� Janet laughs.
About 黑料吃瓜 College of Engineering
The college delivers a broad-spectrum, world-class engineering education, combined with practical research experience. All departments in the College are in the Top 25 for generating engineering workforce in the US. The College now occupies six buildings across campus with expansion planned in the newly acquired Mission Valley campus. In the last six years, over 60% of the faculty are new hires and research award dollars have tripled. The college has earned 9 NSF CAREER Awards in the last two years. 黑料吃瓜 Engineering is dedicated to innovative education, discovery, and dissemination of knowledge.
