People with purpose
Photo courtesy of Azira Rivera.
How three CSE alumni make a difference
December 21, 2020
The year 2020 will be one for the history books.
In March, the arrival of COVID-19 triggered the shutdown of businesses and schools across the country. In May, the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked protests and a collective reckoning with our nation’s history of racial inequality.
This year has called for resilience and optimism in the face of massive and often unprecedented challenges.
It’s called for innovation to confront new problems that have no obvious solutions. And it’s revealed that individuals can make a difference even when systems are strained and breaking.
Education strives to give students the foundation and tools to meet life’s challenges. Here are three alumni who drew on their experiences at the University of Minnesota to not only survive 2020, but also make it better for the people around them.
Read about Azira Rivera (Math ’17) in “Mathematical and emotional support.”
Learn about Kayiita Johnson (Electrical Engineering ’13) in “Build up Black product managers.”
Read about Bret Weiss (Civil Engineering ’87) in “Invest in people, innovate in everything.”
By Maja Beckstrom
To see all three stories as they appeared in our Winter 2021 college magazine, see cse.umn.edu/InventingTomorrow.