Dream to Engineer: Fernando Baraja’s Inspiring Journey
Headshot of Fernando Barajas
Fernando Barajas remembers the exact moment he realized his life would never be the same. He was nine years old, standing in a Los Angeles classroom, unable to understand a word of the English language swirling around him. His family had just immigrated to the United States from Mexico in pursuit of a better life, but in that overwhelming instant, young Fernando’s dreams had never felt further away.
He couldn’t have known that less than fifteen years later, he would be striding across a stage to accept a hard-earned Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from CSUN. The grueling nights spent struggling through English language workbooks, the searing loneliness of being the “different” kid in middle school, the gnawing uncertainty of applying to college as an immigrant; how could he have foreseen the countless obstacles he would surmount to get there. But even at nine, Fernando had a quality that would come to define his journey: sheer determination.
That determination was forged early, watching his parents work tirelessly to build a new life for Fernando and his younger sister. His father rose before dawn for shifts at a factory and a restaurant, snatching just a few hours of sleep before starting again. His mother took any odd job she could find, all while keeping a loving home for her children. “I didn’t see my dad much those first few years,” Fernando remembers. “He would leave for work before I woke up and come home after I was asleep. But I understood, even then, the sacrifices he was making for us.”
Inspired by his parents’ resilience, Fernando threw himself into his studies. School became his sanctuary, a place to chip away at the language barrier and prove his potential. A few key friendships, particularly with a girl named Kathia & Ivan who shared his Mexican roots, eased the isolation. Slowly but surely, Fernando began to flourish.
There were dark moments when the teasing from classmates or the ache for his extended family back home felt like too much to bear. “In middle school, I was bullied pretty badly,” Fernando shares. “I ate lunch alone most days. There were definitely times I wanted to give up, to go back to Mexico.” But he pressed on, clinging to the belief that education would be his path to a different future.
By high school, Fernando’s English was nearly flawless. Always a gifted student in math and science, he loaded his schedule with AP courses, determined to be competitive for college. He found new confidence on the soccer field and volleyball court, and took on leadership roles in student clubs. By all appearances, Fernando was an ideal candidate for higher education.
But as senior year approached, a new set of challenges emerged. As an immigrant, Fernando wasn’t eligible for federal financial aid. Many of the scholarships his peers applied for were off-limits. Forced to confront the fragility of his status in a new way, Fernando despaired about his college dreams.
Thankfully, a guidance counselor at his high school mentioned the California DREAM Act. The legislation, passed in 2011, allows undocumented students who have met a certain criterion to access state financial aid and some scholarships for pursuits in higher education. For Fernando, it was a pathway and lifeline to success. Working with this in mind, he started applying to universities with hope in his heart.
When his acceptance to CSUN arrived, Fernando was overcome with joy and relief. It hardly mattered that he would have to commute a decent distance each way from his family’s small apartment, or working part-time to cover the costs that aid could not meet. He was going to college – the first in his family to do so.
Fernando and fellow SHPE members group photo with Dr. Natalie Schaal & Dr. Christoph Schaal
Fernando initially declared Marketing as his major, imagining himself helping to grow his parents’ new small business venture in authentic Mexican catering. But after taking his first engineering course, he found himself drawn to the challenge and creativity of the field. After meeting a now life-long friend Diego Duran in his Calculus 1 class, he helped introduce him to a SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) seminar, which helped cemented his resolve. Listening to Latino engineers share their own winding paths to career success, Fernando recognized his own story in theirs.
“I went up to one of the speakers afterwards, a mechanical engineer whose parents who had come to the U.S. in the 80s,” Fernando remembers. “It was amazing how his story related to me. He really took the time to make me feel welcome, and lay out what I would need to do. That conversation truly convinced me to change majors.”
Changing majors to Mechanical Engineering was a leap of faith. It would mean an extra year of university, and a daunting set of prerequisites to accomplish. Fernando agonized over the decision, torn between his current path in Marketing and his growing passion for engineering. It was his father, in a late-night conversation in their small kitchen, who tipped the balance.
“My dad never had the chance to chase his own dreams,” Fernando explains. “But when I told him I wanted to switch to engineering, he said this in Spanish, ‘Los sueños son parte de la vida, ahora ve y hazlo realidad, or dreams are a part of life, so go and make them true.’ It clicked with me.”
The next three years were a blur of long lab sessions, team projects, and increasingly complex mathematics. Fernando often felt stretched, juggling his coursework with a part-time job and his increasing leadership roles within SHPE. But he found strength in the community of his fellow peers who became like a second family.
Fernando holding the CSUN Aero Team’s banner for 2023-24
By his senior year, Fernando and a team of fellow students faced their capstone in the form of SAE Aero Senior Design project. As a team, they were tasked with designing, building, and testing an radio-controlled unmanned aircraft. The long months of work pushed the team to their limits, with countless all-nighters fueled by sheer determination.
“There were moments in the lab when I wondered what I had gotten myself into,” Fernando admits. “But I kept coming back to my dad’s words. And as exhausted as we all were, there was something special about working towards this together. We all wanted it so badly.”
When competition day arrived, Fernando was a bundle of nerves. But as he watched his team’s aircraft lift gracefully into the air, all the stress and doubts melted away. “I felt so proud of what we accomplished,” Fernando reflects. “It really brought us closer together. When you struggle together, it makes the bond stronger.”
Now, as he has crossed the stage at commencement, Fernando’s dreams are launching in new ways. His immediate goal is to put his engineering skills to work in growing his family’s catering business. “My goal or aspiration after graduating is helping my parent’s family business grow,” he explains, “I want to help them to make it stable and apply some of the things I learned here in Mechanical – so they can grow while I pursue an engineering career.”
Looking further ahead, Fernando plans to earn his private contractor license, maybe even starting his own firm. He and a few of the SHPE members have also joked about reuniting in a few years to pitch an invention on Shark Tank. But more than any personal accolades, Fernando is determined to use his own success to open doors for others.
“So college was pretty tough, but I learned a lot,” he reflects. “I really want to stay connected with my team and SHPE to I can offer more in the future. My hope is that I can say ‘what have I got to help you guys out?’ to them, along with anybody that’s undocumented. I want them to see that the obstacles are real, but be able to help them out when they’re stuck in a ‘what do you do when you’re lost?’ loop. I want them to know that they’re not alone, and they can continue, even if limited to a little by little. Nothing’s impossible.”
For Fernando, the moments of struggle and doubt are inextricably woven into his success story. As a final remark, Fernando had this to say: “Trust your college. Be open to learning. Don’t give up on your dreams because if there’s no dreams, what is the whole point of life?” Fernando expresses heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has been part of his path, acknowledging their unforgettable impact. He extends special thanks to the DREAM Center, Justin Arbaiza, and all the friends and support systems he found at CSUN. As his chapter closes here at CSUN, it’s clear that Fernando’s impact on the world is only just beginning, and we eagerly anticipate to see what new heights he’ll reach.
