FROM PERSEVERANCE COMES OPPORTUNITY

At her lowest, Crystal Sandoval envisioned something better.

At the age of just 24, Crystal Sandoval’s (’19, civil engineering) young life has been fraught with challenge, sending her to rock bottom. Today, she lives with purpose, overcoming the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.

‘I hit the lowest point of my life.’Sandoval’s college experience began at Cal State Fullerton in 2012, but she had a tough time in her first year of college. She lived in the dorms, was an undeclared major, and was unmotivated to do much else.

“I was taking GE classes, but didn’t enjoy anything—I didn’t really know what my career interests were,” she explains. “Meanwhile, my parents were going through a divorce, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I was sexually assaulted on campus. I hit the lowest point of my life.”

Sandoval’s grades were so low she was academically disqualified.

“The good thing about being at your lowest point is that there’s nowhere to go but up.”

LOOKING UP

Unsure of her next move, Sandoval started working for her cousin’s construction firm—and the light went on. She really enjoyed the technical aspects of the job, and soon found herself drafting plans using computer software. She also interacted with lead engineers on job sites who encouraged her education and success. And so, she decided to go back to school.

With a new mindset and vision for her future, Sandoval enrolled at Citrus College full time to complete her general education. For the first time, she got straight A’s, and after graduation, she transferred to Cal Poly Pomona to earn a bachelor’s in civil engineering.

Read the 2019-20 edition of the Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering magazine here.

As a low-income female Latina pursuing a STEM career, Sandoval also connected with specific programs in the college designed to provide the guidance she needed. She joined the Maximizing Engineering Potential (MEP) program, which prepares underrepresented minorities, women, low-income and first-generation engineering students to succeed in their education and become leaders. Not only did she become a tutor and ambassador within the program, she had the opportunity to network with engineering professionals and obtain scholarships.

“Being actively involved in MEP helped me develop important soft skills essential for a career in engineering management, such as group leadership, public speaking, and problem-solving,” she says.  

Sandoval also got involved with the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and the Society of Women Engineers, and soon found herself in leadership roles there as well. She was also the vice president of the Associated General Contractors, a construction student club on campus.

“Those leadership positions definitely put me outside of my comfort zone because I’ve always been shy, but I pushed myself so that I could get those leadership skills that employers undoubtedly want,” she says.

NET RESULTS

After receiving eight financial scholarships, Sandoval graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a core GPA of 3.95. She also was accepted to USC’s engineering graduate program. She’s already putting her skills to good use.

“I’m living proof that you only fail when you give up—and that anything is possible when you truly want it.” - Crystal Sandoval ('19, civil engineering)

Flush with opportunity, she immediately landed a full-time paid internship within Disney’s Imagineering team, where she supports engineering project managers and is learning to further hone her skills.

When her internship ends in January 2020, she hopes to get hired permanently by The Walt Disney Company. But if not, she already has job offers from other companies willing to wait for her exceptional talent.

“Whatever company I may work for, I really want to get into management,” says Sandoval. “I also want to find a way to pay it forward and set up scholarships for students who have been through hardships and have found a way to overcome them, like me.

“I’m living proof that you only fail when you give up—and that anything is possible when you truly want it.”