Kevin Reza-Villa

Student at Wake Technical Community College

Kevin Reza Villa is a first-generation college student at Wake Technical Community College pursuing his Associate in Science and Associate in Engineering to break into the clinical research field. His love for STEM was always present, but the lack of guidance in the field is prevalent within the Latinx community. He felt it early in his academic career and contemplated dropping out. Holding onto hope, he found his school’s STEM Academic Research and Training (START) program and became an intern and an ambassador. His experience within the program was life-changing and gave him a sense of belonging, guidance, and motivation to make what once seemed like a dream a reality. Inspired to become greater, he became a member of the Council of Undergraduate Research and graduated from their 2022-23 Scholars Transforming through Research program, a 2022-2023 Southern Leadership Development Program graduate, and became a student government senator. His involvement in these programs allowed him to grow and learn from first-hand experience. By applying what he has learned to his leadership positions, Kevin hopes to better lead and help peers that may be feeling how he once felt and grow the diversity in STEM for future generations to look up to.