As Jose Mario López tells it:
I was born in Siguatepeque and started my academic experiences at El Alba at age four. When I was age five my family moved to Nicaragua. Six years later, we returned to Honduras and, at age eleven, was re-enrolled in El Alba. The key takeaway I received from El Alba was the balance in the worldviews presented by the school’s faculty and owners, where my siblings and I recognized the brilliance behind the education we received and how our teachers educated us to see beyond Siguatepeque and Honduras and encompass the whole world and how they stimulated us to strive for true growth through open-mindedness and constant learning.
To achieve this, I decided that my best option was to pursue a university degree in Sustainable Development Engineering. Toward this goal, I enrolled in the Tecnológico de Monterrey, in northern Mexico, where I learned through academic and other life experiences how I could best contribute to Honduras’ proper growth. Leadership roles, friendships and academic development led me to pursue a study abroad program at the University of California, Berkeley, an experience that has deepened my understanding of sustainable development, and to see the world not for what it is, but for what it could be.
In my studies at Tec de Monterrey and UC Berkeley I have received academic merit awards, including the Academic Talent Scholarship and Best Student in Student Associations by Tec de Monterrey. Serving as President of the Sustainable Development Engineering Student Association has given me the opportunity to be active in developing and leading projects for the growth and development of the student community. These activities resulted in recognition of the association as the Highest Impact Student Association and Best Engagement Student Association.
In my academic development, I’ve been able to take an innovative approach in topics of energy efficiency, decarbonization and sustainable pathways. Highlights from these academic projects include designing a Waste-to-Energy plant, developing Clean Energy Electrification Plans for rural Communities in Honduras and designing a Hydrogen Generation Plant. My objectives after completing undergraduate studies include pursuing a graduate degree in an energy related field, developing professionally in project management, and learning ways of sustainability pathways which I hope will help lead my country, Honduras, to a cleaner future.
Your journey has been amazing, I’m sure you will continue to achieve great things and to help the world