One of Armando Porras’ earliest memories is when he would herd sheep through the hills of Guanajuato, Mexico, surrounded by mountains and creeks. Porras immigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years old and settled in Watsonville, California.
“It was hard because the five of us were staying in a laundry room,” said Porras. “But that only lasted for a couple of months, until my dad’s employer offered him a mobile home.”
In high school, Porras developed an interest in physics and mathematics, and the more he learned about it, the more he was drawn to it. As he was preparing to graduate, his dad encouraged him to pursue an education at a four-year university, but Porras’ GPA limited him from being a competitive applicant. With the help of the College Assistance Migrant Program, Porras appealed his rejection letter and began his career at California State University, Sacramento where he graduated as a civil engineer.
Like many immigrant students in the United States, Porras’ legal status restricted him from finding employment. As his undergraduate career came to an end, Porras struggled to find opportunities in his field until he got connected with an initiative known as "Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement," a college and career preparation program that supports students from underrepresented ethnic groups. Through the program, Porras found an internship opportunity with U.S. Fish and Wildlife through Hispanic Access Foundation and didn’t hesitate.
"Growing up in Mexico I was always surrounded by nature, and I loved it,” said Porras. “At a young age, I thought to myself, 'I want to protect what I love,’” said Porras. “Hispanic Access gave me an opportunity despite not being a U.S. citizen.”
His position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taught Porras how to find a balance between land management and environmental conservation. As a civil engineer, his responsibility goes beyond the construction of infrastructure, and extends to protect the health of wildlife and the community.
“I enjoyed knowing that my job was helping other people and serving a bigger purpose,” said Porras.
Porras is now in the process of preparing for a new role at the Bureau of Land Management.
“While at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I learned about Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and how the missions of both agencies are similar,” said Porras. “I like to think that what I do connects folks to the outdoors, so I feel BLM would be a good place to start my first permanent federal position. The position for BLM is in engineering; a subject I love, as well as math, so I couldn't be happier than to get to work and feel like I'm doing everything that I enjoy.”
This article was originally published on Hispanic Access Foundation’s website. Disclaimer*
