Kris Adams

Kris Adams, current president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), is a mechanical engineering student who is living proof of the value of the motto: “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

Although he still had a few years before his projected graduation in spring 2007, in 2003 Adams placed his sights on getting an internship with Honda. Thus, when he heard that the company would be visiting a career fair at Ohio State he decided to interview with them.

When he didn’t get that internship, he applied for an internship with another company through INROADS, a non-profit organization that trains and develops minority youth for professional careers in business and industry, and was accepted.

Adams still wanted to get an internship with Honda, so he decided to stay in touch with the recruiters he had met at the career fair by asking them for advice. He wanted the recruiters to remember him when another internship opportunity came up.

“For me, doing an internship is important because it gives you experience that you can include on your resume,” Adams says. “I also believe that one of the benefits of an internship is being able to see what professionals in your area are doing in the practical world so you can decide what type of job you would like as your future career.”

Because of Adams’ determination and persistence, the Honda recruiters remembered him by name at the next career fair in 2004. In the end, his contacts with them and his previous experience helped him get the internship he wanted with Honda.

“My advice to other Latin@s is to try to get internships. One of the most important things that recruiters look for in a resume is leadership skills, so I would tell students to join an organization related to their career, and to be active in it,” Adams says. “Being president of SHPE has helped me tremendously in being able to get an internship position.”