Igniting A Passion for STEM

Feb 25, 2021 11:00 AM ET
Campaign: STEM Education

As featured in Qualcomm's 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report

The spark that lit Joy’s passion for engineering occurred during her high school orientation. “The high school's FIRST robotics team rolled in their 5-foot robot and started to shoot T-shirts and soft sponge balls from their robot,” she said. “That was the moment that captivated me. I thought, I HAVE TO do that.”

Joining the electrical sub-team of her school’s FIRST Robotics team when she was a sophomore changed Joy’s life. The more she learned, the more confident she felt. She volunteered at FIRST events every year, serving as a role model and mentor to others. Her passion for electrical engineering eventually led to her participation in a hackathon where she and a friend met Qualcomm campus recruiting team lead, Courtney Lach.

“Courtney invited both of us to the Qualcomm® Student Accelerator program where we got the opportunity to interview and get an internship,” said Joy. “Now I work full-time with the Product & Tools Stability Test Team at Qualcomm. I enjoy what I do, and I think that is a blessing in life. A STEM program like FIRST, where they motivate students to work, compete, and have fun together in STEM, allowed me to take the first step towards this path."

To learn more about Qualcomm’s 2025 goals and ESG performance in 2020, access the full report here