19 page transcript of an interview of Laishka Bruno by Aaron Stewart conducted over Zoom for the Black Cultural Center Oral History Project. Bruno studied mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech University from 2008 to 2014, with a year and a half break for a co-op at General Electric. Bruno discusses her background growing up in a military family with Puerto Rican heritage and living in Fort Hood, Texas; Germany; and Tennessee. She describes what school was like for her growing up, why she decided to attend Tennessee Tech, why she picked her major, the challenges of being a Hispanic and woman student in engineering classes and at Tech, her favorite projects while at Tech and difficult classes, how she lived on and off campus during her time at Tech, and her experience with her co-op. She details her college extracurricular activities with the National Society of Black Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Joint Council, the Multicultural Affairs peer mentoring program, Engineering a Future, E-Week, and Theta Tau. She follows that with a discussion of four Tech employees who influenced her: Dr. Robert Owens, Marc Burnett, Dr. Kristine Craven, and Dr. Elizabeth Ojo. Bruno describes her work with PepsiCo Frito-Lay and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed her work environment. She follows by discussing how she used the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center (BCC) and the influence of the BCC on her. She describes the subtle racism she experienced in Cookeville and how she and her friends did not feel safe going out alone. Bruno details her career path after she graduated, her school and career accomplishments that she is most proud of, what her life is like, and some of her favorite and challenging memories from Tech. Bruno ends with advice for underrepresented students at Tech and offers mentorship assistance to students. Throughout the interview, Stewart compares his experience as a student and in Cookeville to Bruno’s experience. For the interview recording, see item BCCOH_Bruno_20210108.
title:
Transcript of Interview with Laishka Bruno
creator:
Tennessee Technological University. Archives and Special Collections
subject:
Bruno, Laishka, 1990-
subject:
Stewart, Aaron J.
subject:
Interviews
subject:
Oral histories
subject:
Women college students
subject:
College students
subject:
Women adults
subject:
Young adults
subject:
Occupations
subject:
Tennessee Technological University
subject:
Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae
subject:
Tennessee Technological University. Office of Student Affairs. Office of Multicultural Affairs
subject:
Families of military personnel
subject:
Children of military personnel
subject:
Basketball
subject:
Women basketball players
subject:
College students--Social life and customs
subject:
Women engineers
subject:
Women in engineering
subject:
Engineering
subject:
Women engineering students
subject:
Engineering students
subject:
Women engineers--Employment
subject:
Engineers--Employment
subject:
Women engineers--Training of
subject:
Engineers--Training of
subject:
Women in engineering--Education (Higher)
subject:
Hispanic American engineers
subject:
Hispanics (LGBTQ)
subject:
People of colour (LGBTQ)
subject:
Queer people of colour
subject:
Latinx (LGBTQ)
subject:
LGBTQ people
subject:
Puerto Ricans
subject:
Minority college students
subject:
Minority college students--Services for
subject:
Minority college students--Social conditions
subject:
Minority college students--Societies, etc.
subject:
National Society of Black Engineers (U.S.). Tennessee Technological University Chapter
subject:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Tennessee Technological University Chapter
subject:
Engineering Joint Council (Tennessee Technological University)
subject:
Tennessee Technological University. College of Engineering. Engineering a Future
subject:
Theta Tau. Lambda Beta Chapter (Tennessee Technological University)
subject:
PepsiCo, Inc.
subject:
Frito-Lay, Inc.
description:
19 page transcript of an interview of Laishka Bruno by Aaron Stewart conducted over Zoom for the Black Cultural Center Oral History Project. Bruno studied mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech University from 2008 to 2014, with a year and a half break for a co-op at General Electric. Bruno discusses her background growing up in a military family with Puerto Rican heritage and living in Fort Hood, Texas; Germany; and Tennessee. She describes what school was like for her growing up, why she decided to attend Tennessee Tech, why she picked her major, the challenges of being a Hispanic and woman student in engineering classes and at Tech, her favorite projects while at Tech and difficult classes, how she lived on and off campus during her time at Tech, and her experience with her co-op. She details her college extracurricular activities with the National Society of Black Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Joint Council, the Multicultural Affairs peer mentoring program, Engineering a Future, E-Week, and Theta Tau. She follows that with a discussion of four Tech employees who influenced her: Dr. Robert Owens, Marc Burnett, Dr. Kristine Craven, and Dr. Elizabeth Ojo. Bruno describes her work with PepsiCo Frito-Lay and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed her work environment. She follows by discussing how she used the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center (BCC) and the influence of the BCC on her. She describes the subtle racism she experienced in Cookeville and how she and her friends did not feel safe going out alone. Bruno details her career path after she graduated, her school and career accomplishments that she is most proud of, what her life is like, and some of her favorite and challenging memories from Tech. Bruno ends with advice for underrepresented students at Tech and offers mentorship assistance to students. Throughout the interview, Stewart compares his experience as a student and in Cookeville to Bruno’s experience. For the interview recording, see item BCCOH_Bruno_20210108.
publisher:
Tennessee Technological University. Archives and Special Collections
date:
2021-02-03
type:
Text
format:
pdf
identifier:
BCCOH_Bruno_20210108_transcript
source:
Black Cultural Center Oral History Collection
language:
eng
relation:
BCCOH_Bruno_20210108
temporal:
1990s
temporal:
2000s
temporal:
2010s
temporal:
2020s
spatial:
Fort Hood (Tex.)
spatial:
Germany
spatial:
Plano (Tex.)
spatial:
Fayetteville (Tenn.)
spatial:
Cookeville (Tenn.)
spatial:
Putnam County (Tenn.)
rights:
In Copyright
rights Holder:
Tennessee Technological University
access Rights:
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