Blinn engineering student finds opportunity and community after taking an unexpected path

Amanda Gonzalez thriving in the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn-Brenham

March 23, 2026

When Amanda Gonzalez first began planning her path to becoming an engineer, Blinn College was not part of the plan.

After graduating from Cinco Ranch High School in the Katy school district, Gonzalez intended to enroll directly at Texas A&M University, but when the timing and fit did not work out, she began exploring other options and decided to start her journey at the Blinn College-Brenham Campus.

Looking back, Gonzalez now describes that decision as one of the best she has ever made.

“My goal was to go straight to A&M. That was my expectation,” she said. “I wasn’t planning on starting at a community college, but it’s been great. This may be the best idea of my life.”

Gonzalez’s journey to Blinn began years earlier and thousands of miles away.

Born in Venezuela, she moved to the United States with her family in 2019 while in seventh grade. Initially, the college process felt distant and unfamiliar, but during her sophomore year of high school, her future began to take shape when her older brother left home to pursue an engineering degree at Texas A&M University.

Seeing his path helped Gonzalez imagine her own.

“I’ve always wanted to do engineering since I was little — building with Legos and figuring out how things work,” she said. “My brother has always been a huge role model for me. When he went off to college to study engineering, that became my goal too.”

While her brother’s example reinforced her ambitions, Gonzalez said her interest in engineering has largely been self-driven. Neither of her parents work in the field, so her curiosity about how things are designed and built led her to explore engineering on her own.

At Blinn, she has found an environment where that curiosity is encouraged and supported.

Lauren Buth, Director of Engineering Programs, said Gonzalez embodies the type of student who thrives in Blinn’s engineering program.

“Amanda is an exceptionally bright and intelligent student. She is a natural leader with a servant’s heart,” said Buth. “She radiates positivity and optimism and approaches every challenge with enthusiasm and an open mind. She excels not only in her engineering studies but also demonstrates outstanding interpersonal skills. There is no doubt that she will make a significant impact on the world as a transformative engineer.”

Gonzalez is enrolled in the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn-Brenham, a co-enrollment program that allows students to pursue an engineering degree while taking courses through both institutions.

Through the academy, students complete math, science, and engineering courses on the Brenham Campus while also taking Texas A&M engineering classes taught by faculty from the Texas A&M College of Engineering. Students who complete the program with at least a 3.75 grade point average (GPA) earn automatic admission to their chosen Texas A&M engineering major.

As she prepares for that next step, Gonzalez is considering two possible paths: civil engineering or petroleum engineering.

“If I choose petroleum engineering, it would be in case I ever want to move back to Venezuela,” she said. “The petroleum industry is huge there, but I really love civil engineering.”

While Gonzalez looks forward to becoming a full-time Texas A&M engineering student, she said her time at Blinn has been one of the most rewarding periods of her life.

“Here at Blinn, I’ve had the time of my life, not only academically but socially,” she said. “I’m meeting my future best friends for the rest of my life. One of my best friends here, I met through the engineering program. I can see us being best friends many, many years.”

For more information about Blinn’s Engineering Program, visit www.blinn.edu/engineering.