Student Profiles

Mikayla Diaz ’28, a General Engineering major with minors in MIS and TIDEM, chose Santa Clara University after attending its Summer Engineering Seminar in high school. "I immediately fell in love with the campus and the environment around it," she recalls. Originally from Antioch, California, Mikayla came to SCU as a Mechanical Engineering major before a pivotal experience reshaped her path. During her LEAD Vocationals class, she followed the "Career Launch Method" and spoke with an Integration Engineer from Ford. "During my conversation with her, I realized how much I could relate to the things she enjoyed," Mikayla says, "so I decided to switch into General Engineering so I could find more opportunity in project management roles."

Her favorite classes so far have been MECH 10L and 12L. "I was given the opportunity to use SolidWorks and problem-solve on my own," she says, "and it was really fun and exciting." Beyond the classroom, Mikayla is a proud member of the LEAD Scholars Program for first-generation students. "Coming to college, I did not know what to expect," she explains. "With the LEAD Scholars Program, I was able to navigate SCU more comfortably and ask questions that may seem simple to other students." As a sophomore, she became a Peer Mentor for the program. "I gained the best seven mentees I could ever ask for," she says. "I was able to do what others did for me, which is what I always strive to do in any situation."

Receiving the Fr. Coz Scholarship has helped ease the financial pressure on Mikayla and her family. "I am always working during the school year to help alleviate the stress it could bring to my family," she explains, "and this scholarship has helped me do the same." She hopes to pay that generosity forward one day. "After I graduate, I hope to become a future donor of the Fr. Coz Scholarship," she says, "and hopefully extend it to the high school I went to, because it was difficult for my family to pay for tuition during my time there."

Giving back has always been central to Mikayla's life—from volunteering at her K-8 school to coaching middle school basketball and tutoring students. "Now that I am at SCU, I can bring to light that individuals who share the same background as me can achieve a higher education, especially in a Jesuit school," she reflects. "My SCU education has helped me realize I can do a lot more than I realized." To the donors, she offers her thanks. "Receiving this scholarship will help in so many ways," she says, "allowing me to take time off work to spend more time with my friends and family, or to spend more time studying for exams. Thank you so much."