Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering

Guadalupe Ruiz received a B.A. in Sociology from UCR and an M.S. in Higher Education Leadership and Student Development from California Baptist University. She is the Director of Transfer Initiatives & Professional Development in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She has extensive experience working with California Community Colleges to establish partnerships and resources for students. Through this work, she increased the engineering transfer student enrollment at UCR. Guadalupe established an engineering transfer student center and the transfer student transition program. Moreover, Guadalupe has facilitated, led, and contributed to the development and support of multiple cross-institutional grants including multiple Department of Education grants, an NSF Engineering Research Center, the Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, and an Office Of Naval Research grant. She leads engineering undergraduate student experiences, including research bridge programs, peer mentoring programs, and student leadership. 

Mai serves as the Student Success Coordinator in the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UCR. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship. She is also a recipient of a Fulbright scholarship. Mai's passion for empowering women in STEM and entrepreneurship comes from her previous roles as a program manager at Manara, a social impact start-up connecting software engineers to their dream jobs, and as a co-founder of Gaza Geekettes, a community fostering female tech talent in Gaza. She has also been a TechWomen fellow, a former start-up founder, and the first Palestinian female licensed amateur radio operator. These experiences have earned her recognition and awards, including the 2015 Change Agent ABIE Award from the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing (GHC) and the Best Entry-Level STEM Executive at the Women in STEM conference in Dubai.

Fernanda serves as the Professional Development Coordinator at the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering at UC Riverside. She earned her M.A. in Social Sciences from California State University, San Bernardino, and her B.A. in Legal Studies from UC Santa Cruz. She supports over 17 engineering student organizations, leading initiatives that strengthen leadership, professional growth, and community engagement. She established the Student Professional Organization Center, a dedicated space for student collaboration, studying, and events, and launched the annual student awards ceremony recognizing excellence in research, leadership, and community impact. In recognition of her contributions to advancing women in technology and higher education, she was honored as a UC Women Rock IT awardee in 2022. Fernanda is passionate about creating inclusive environments that empower students to thrive academically and professionally.