New Program Invests in Hispanic and Latino STEM Students

Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are partnering with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to launch a new college program that aims to remove barriers for Hispanic and Latino students studying STEM. Together, they are committing more than $3 million over the next four years for scholarships, internships, and mentorship opportunities for qualified SHPE students.

Building on its decade-long partnership, Medtronic is opening internship and mentorship opportunities to SHPE students pursuing STEM-related college degrees. To amplify the impact of these efforts, the Medtronic Foundation is also committing to a scholarship program that will offset education costs and help students focus on learning and building a sense of belonginess with the STEM community. SHPE is the nation’s largest association dedicated to fostering Hispanic leadership in STEM.

The Medtronic Foundation ScholarSHPE Program

“Our partnership with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers will reduce barriers for low-income Hispanics and Latinos completing STEM degrees,” said Liz Lund, the Foundation’s director of strategic operations. “Together we will help grow the representation of underserved and underrepresented communities within the STEM workforce and create economic mobility for our scholars and their families.”

The Medtronic Foundation ScholarSHPE will create direct and significant impact for SHPE students, allowing them to focus on learning and help minimize concerns about their education costs. It will provide comprehensive scholarships, awarding recipients up to $25,000 per year for tuition and other expenses.

Medtronic InternSHPE and MentorSHPE program

Medtronic is committing more than $2 million over the next four years to internships and mentorship opportunities for qualified SHPE students — opening doors to more career opportunities.

“Hispanics and Latinos are underrepresented in the STEM workforce,” said Noel Colón, senior vice president and Chief Quality Officer at Medtronic. “As a Hispanic engineer myself, I’m excited about opportunities like this that can change that.”

The InternSHPE and MentorSHPE programs kicked off at the start of the fiscal year. Medtronic began interviewing for InternSHPE interns earlier this year and they will join the company in early 2022. Combined with the MentorSHPE program, the goal is to attract young Hispanic and Latino talent to Medtronic.

“I was a SHPE chapter leader years ago and now I have the opportunity to work directly with the organization to bring this program to life,” said Gerardo Zuñiga, a quality systems director who is also leading the program initiative for the Medtronic Hispanic and Latino Network employee support group. “I took on leading this because I know how important it is to be a mentor to other Hispanics and Latinos in this space and the value and opportunities this program will bring to SHPE students.”

At Medtronic, the company’s unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E) means zero barriers to opportunity. The new SHPE partnership is one example of how Medtronic is amplifying its impact beyond company walls – one of the focus areas of its ID&E efforts – by advancing diversity in STEM.

Zuñiga is proud of Medtronic’s commitment to ID&E and it drives him to do more.

“It may not be my day job, but I will take on challenge after challenge to support Medtronic ID&E efforts like the partnership with SHPE,” he said. “Together, we can remove barriers for the Hispanic community.”

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