A Story Told in Pins

Joelis Velez Diaz ’24 carries clues to her life story in the assortment of pins attached to her backpack. Several reflect her heritage: A native of Puerto Rico, she moved to the U.S. mainland after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. She was born in her grandparents’ house, where “without having much, we had everything: family, friends, neighbors, and a profound sense of community. I am extremely happy to say that I found the same community spirit here at WPI.”

Other pins remind her of the countries she visited while completing her Interactive Qualifying Project in Thailand; her art, which was recently displayed in Gordon Library; her emotional support guinea pig, Newton; and the Disney movie Tomorrowland with its message about perseverance.

A chemical engineering major, Diaz is part of the WPI Teacher Preparation Program and hopes to become a research professor “to work on improving the quality of life and our environment, and helping students visualize themselves as agents of change through education.” A pin from the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program shows her devotion to achieving equity and helping underrepresented populations.

Many of the WPI pins come from her role as a Student Philanthropy Ambassador for University Advancement. Her love of the city of Worcester is also evident.

“WPI showed me that it is beautiful to show who we are, and the importance of being vulnerable,” she says. “If you see me around campus and want to chat about any of these pins, feel free to reach out!”

Read more about Joelis and her WPI journey in this Student Voice feature.