Name: Andres Vargas-Cortes ’20
Major: Industrial Distribution
Union Pacific Foundation Excellence Award
“During Fish Camp before my freshman year, I received a purple hankie as a memento of being in Purple Camp Steele, which I immediately strung onto my backpack. A year later, I served as a Fish Camp counselor for Purple Camp Hale and kept another purple hankie for my backpack. Although both have faded over time, the incredible experiences of growth and leadership they represent have not. Three years and three backpacks later, I still keep them securely attached with a carabiner clip.”
Name: Omar Santos ’20
Major: Computer Science
Martinez Fellows Foundation Excellence Award
“As a computer science major, I often use a coding strategy called rubber duck debugging, a method in which you explain your code to an inanimate object, such as a rubber ducky, until you realize where you’ve made your mistake. So, I keep a rubber ducky in my backpack at all times. It might sound silly, but it really helps!”