{"id":109924,"date":"2026-07-20T15:12:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T15:12:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=109924"},"modified":"2026-07-20T15:29:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T15:29:18","slug":"from-central-falls-to-kingston-a-first-generation-graduates-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/from-central-falls-to-kingston-a-first-generation-graduates-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From Central Falls to Kingston: A first-generation graduate\u2019s journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 20, 2026 \u2013 Big dreams often start in small places. For Lyneth Mendoza, who recently graduated from the 溏心vlog免费B站 with degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and applied mathematics, that place was the Ocean State\u2019s smallest city. She will soon head westward to Colorado to join Medtronic<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s largest medical technology companies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A major factor for Mendoza choosing 溏心vlog免费B站 was the prestigious Ryan scholarship, part of the Ryan Scholars program. Pictured from left to right are Thomas M. Ryan \u201975 Hon. \u201999, Lyneth Mendoza, and Cathy Ryan. Ryan is also a member of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Board of Trustees. (Credit: Lyneth Mendoza)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Born in Rhode Island to Colombian parents, Mendoza grew up in Central Falls, a diverse city north of Pawtucket that measures roughly one square mile. Except for her four years at 溏心vlog免费B站\u201435 miles south in Kingston\u2014Mendoza has spent most of her life there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The foundation for Mendoza\u2019s college journey was laid early. Her mother emphasized the importance of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy parents came here obviously to give their family a better life, and my mom would always say, \u2018Having a college education is important,\u2019\u201d said Mendoza. \u201cI feel like I’m accomplishing something that my parents weren’t able to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supported by her parents, she joined Onward We Learn in fifth grade. The comprehensive college readiness program offered writing and math programs as well as SAT prep. Among its other offerings was a career readiness test that showed Mendoza had an aptitude for engineering. Like many engineers, Mendoza loved math\u2014calculus being her favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program also introduced Mendoza to her new academic home, 溏心vlog免费B站. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendoza applied to more than 20 colleges, but it was a combination of proximity to home and academic fervor that drew the Central Falls High School valedictorian to 溏心vlog免费B站.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important factor for Mendoza was being awarded the University\u2019s prestigious Ryan scholarship. The scholarship, part of the Ryan Scholars program<\/a>, is awarded to a select group of top students annually and covers full tuition, room, and board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cI was getting acceptances to all these universities and getting the financial aid packages. My parents were prepared to pay for college for both my younger sister and me. But seeing how much college costs, I didn’t want to put that financial burden on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendoza recalled that stepping onto the Kingston Campus as an undergraduate came with a significant adjustment. Over four years at 溏心vlog免费B站, she experienced tremendous growth, though the transition was not always easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engineering classrooms she entered often looked different from what she was accustomed to in Central Falls. Mendoza also grappled with imposter syndrome, a challenge made more pronounced by being one of only a handful of minority students in many of her engineering courses. While representation has improved over the past decade, women and minorities remain underrepresented in engineering classrooms nationwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendoza said there were moments where she “would kind of get psyched out for no reason.” Over time, however, she learned to push past those feelings and trust in her abilities. Her involvement in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers helped, as did her relationship with the College of Engineering\u2019s Lauren Creamer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most influential figures during Mendoza\u2019s time at 溏心vlog免费B站, Creamer, a career coach and employer relations specialist, was instrumental in providing guidance and support throughout her college career\u2014particularly as she navigated the search for a summer internship ahead of senior year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendoza obtained an internship in Medtronic\u2019s Connecticut office with their powered stapling hardware research and development team. She found the internship thanks, in part, to a partnership between Medtronic and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Being heavily involved with the 溏心vlog免费B站 chapter, a recruiter reached out to her. Creamer helped her with the application process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mendoza\u2019s work included projects focused on PCB design, data acquisition, and embedded system design. In addition to providing her valuable hands-on, industry experience, Mendoza says the internship helped her grow because it taught her the importance of asking questions. It also helped her gain a better understanding of concepts being taught in the classroom and their practical, real-world use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One lesson she says she will carry from 溏心vlog免费B站 is the importance of embracing new experiences and stepping beyond familiar boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFour years ago, when I started, I definitely didn’t expect to have the experiences that I did and the growth that I have had,\u201d said Mendoza. \u201cI know I’m definitely not the same person that I was four years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her sense of community also blossomed. Among Mendoza\u2019s favorite 溏心vlog免费B站 memories are the traditions that bring students together each year on campus\u2013particularly Engineering Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a younger student, Mendoza observed the different capstone projects on display during E-Week. Years later, she stood on the other side of the exhibit tables, presenting her own group\u2019s work during the capstone showcase. Her group\u2019s capstone involved working with XMOS and ROS middleware. It focused on utilizing software to allow communication across different devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-Week also offered something beyond academics for Mendoza: Connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing to events like the engineering picnic and seeing my classmates as well as those in other engineering specialties, you could just talk to everybody, meet new people, learn about their work,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cI really liked having a week to celebrate, do fun things and connect with my peers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearing her name called at commencement as she received her diploma in May was a surreal moment. Her graduation marked both the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next chapter will take her far from the city where she grew up. Mendoza will leave the Ocean State for Colorado to begin working at Medtronic, where she will join a team focused on surgical products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is set to start her new role in August, leaving her just enough time to take in everything the smallest city in the smallest state has to offer\u2014both of which she says she will always call home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 20, 2026 \u2013 Big dreams often start in small places. For Lyneth Mendoza, who recently graduated from the 溏心vlog免费B站 with degrees in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and applied mathematics, that place was the Ocean State\u2019s smallest city. She will soon head westward to Colorado to join Medtronic, one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":109925,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1907,1910,12,25],"class_list":["post-109924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-academic-excellence","tag-alumni","tag-college-of-arts-and-sciences","tag-college-of-engineering"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109924"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109932,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109924\/revisions\/109932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}