Eddie Villarreal

Fellow Comets, friends and family, thank you for joining us. To my peers, congratulations on achieving this milestone. I don’t know about y’all, but there were many sleepless nights working on projects when I was uncertain that I would make it to graduation.

A year ago, I returned to my elementary school and spoke with a first-grade class about my journey to becoming an engineer. They asked questions like, “How long would it take to build a skateboard that can fly?” and “Do you know where I left my backpack?” One question that stuck with me was, “How do you become an engineer?”

I wanted to tell them that with a number of core courses, a sprinkle of electives and dependence on caffeine, they too could one day call themselves engineers. However, I wondered, what truly makes any of us engineers? I’ve come to believe that to be an engineer you must do three things.

First, you must challenge the paradigm. We have chosen to enter a field leading one of the largest technical revolutions in history. Only 20 years ago, people needed a paper map to navigate a new city, and now you can find the fastest route to any destination in the blink of an eye.

Second, you must be persistent. Solutions rarely present themselves after a quick brainstorming session or even an all-nighter. Your persistence allows you to create the change the world needs.

And third, you must be confident. As you begin your journey, you will meet many incredible individuals who have had amazing experiences and accomplished great things. It’s easy to doubt your background, but I urge you to remember that you, too, are extraordinary people who have done remarkable things. What you have achieved was no mistake, and where you land is no accident. Your persistence and dedication have driven you.

As students, we followed unique paths. Maybe you worked a part-time job, studying between class and work. Perhaps you devoted time to a student organization, persuading others to attend that general body meeting with promises of pizza and snacks. You may have woken up early to go to the gym or aimed for a full eight hours of sleep. Whatever your route, I am proud of you for following it.

While it is easy to remember your own efforts, I ask that you remember those who supported you. Our parents who listened to us gripe about the difficulties of centering a div in a webpage, our siblings who listened to us practice our presentations, our friends who were ready to celebrate or offer condolences when exam scores came out, and our professors who pushed our minds to their limits and then pushed some more.

Our degrees not only justify our struggles, but they also will benefit the community around us. As engineers, it is our job to solve problems, and as graduates, it is our responsibility to give back. While our individual actions may not end world issues, we are capable of changing someone’s world. Find the spot where you can give back. Rise through adversity as you have before and be the change you want to see. As we part paths, I wish you the best of luck. May you be filled with wonder, innovation and the unwavering belief that you can change the world one problem at a time.

Eddie Villarreal is graduating with a master’s degree in software engineering. Originally from Kingsville, Texas, Villarreal has been a dedicated member of the UT Dallas community. He has been an active member of UTD’s Association for Computing Machinery chapter and the men’s lacrosse team. He has also held various officer positions in UTD’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers chapter, including SHPE junior event lead, school affairs chair and president. He currently serves as the student representative for UTD’s ALRISE Alliance. Villarreal’s experiences include on- and off-campus positions such as peer advisor and soccer referee. He gained valuable industry experience as a software engineer intern at Northrop Grumman, Capital One and most recently Microsoft, where he will begin his career as a software engineer after graduation.