Today@Sam Article

Commencement Spotlight: Oriana Encarnacion Jaramillo

Dec. 13, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Campbell Atkins

Oriana Encarnacion Jaramillo
Caracas, Venezuela
Bachelor of Science in Construction Management

As Oriana Encarnacion Jaramillo prepares for commencement at Sam Houston State University this month, she cannot help but recall sage advice from her father, Richar Encarnacion.

“He always says that even though you grow, you never forget where you came from. Always be humble with others and don’t take anything for granted,” she said.

Encarnacion Jaramillo comes from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Her mother, Carmen Jaramillo, grew up in one of the country’s small farming communities, while her father immigrated from the Dominican Republic at age 12.

“The person I am is thanks to my parents. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “It was hard at the beginning. I saw my dad rise from nothing, now he tells me about everything he had to go through when he first came to Venezuela.”

Throughout her young childhood, Encarnacion Jaramillo’s parents both worked long hours in an effort to establish themselves and create a better future for her and her siblings. During these times, her aunt helped raise her and became another strong source of love in her life.

“At that time, we were renting lower-income apartments,” she said.

Ultimately, the family’s hard work began to catch up with them as Richar became a civil engineer before starting his own construction company, which he built from the ground up.

“I really got to see my family grow together,” she said. “When things got better economically, my mother was able to stay home and take care of me and my siblings.”

With her graduation approaching, Encarnacion Jaramillo jokes that it’s difficult to speak to her mother or aunt without them bursting into tears of joy, or for them to see a picture of her in a cap and gown.

“They are all really excited,” she said. “All of my values and work ethic come from them.”

In fact, she credits her father with encouraging her to first pursue international exchange programs in high school to give her even more opportunities for a better life. Since she wanted to learn English and had already visited and fell in love with California, she first moved to San Francisco to attend an international school that focused on the language.

“It was difficult at first,” she said of her first days living on U.S. soil. “I had to adapt to everything from the language barrier to transportation. In Caracas, I always had my family, who helped me with everything. I would cry a lot at first because I wanted to go home. But once I met some friends, adjusted to my surroundings and learned how to be more independent, everything got a lot easier.”

These adjustments led to her fluency in English and a desire to explore more of the countless opportunities the new nation had to offer. Soon after establishing herself in California from Venezuela, she prepared for another major change of scenery: Texas.

“I had done my research and saw that it was cheaper, and I already had some friends living here,” she said. “It was another big transition. In San Francisco, I was living with a host family. Here, I had to get my own apartment and all of my own stuff. It was hard.”

She also had to focus on her studies, which at first took place at Lone Star College. There, she first pursued civil engineering like her father, but soon found out it was not the specific career she envisioned.

“I’m more of a practical, hands-on type of worker,” she said. “I found out there were more than just the traditional options here. I chose Sam Houston because they had a great construction management program. I also looked into the university to find out about their reputation and the programs they offered.”

A smooth transition to campus life in Huntsville, aided by personnel at the Global Engagement Center, allowed Encarnacion Jaramillo the opportunity to delve into her classes and define her professional goals through engaging, interactive methods in manageable class sizes.

“My construction professors were always open to help,” she said. “They were very understanding and welcoming, which felt comforting as one of the few women in the class.”

She admits it was difficult to secure an internship at first, citing her lack of experience and status as an international student.

“Some companies get scared because they think they will have to sponsor you,” she said. “I got a lot of interviews, but not many offers.”

Fortunately, one of her SHSU professors offered extra credit to students who opted to tour a facility run by McCorvey Sheet Metal Works LP in Houston. At the end of the tour, Encarnacion Jaramillo decided to leave her resume with McCorvey personnel. Two days later, she had her summer internship.

“They gave me the opportunity to get valuable experience and put into practice what I had been studying,” she said. “Everything we had gone through in class was everything I did for them. I was able to put those new skills to use for the first time.”

The internship illuminated the value of the education she had worked so hard to achieve at Sam Houston State and furthered a growing professional confidence in the systems and nuances of her industry.

“They were surprised that I knew how to do these things. I told them, that’s what I see in school,” she said. “My plan is to become a project manager, and this program provided me with a lot of knowledge and guidance.”

While Encarnacion Jaramillo hopes to continue her vast travels in the future, she has adopted Houston as her second home and plans on remaining in the area. Her parting advice to prospective international students mirrors that of her father’s: take the leap forward but always remember where you started.

“Don’t be afraid. When I first got here, I was so worried that people wouldn’t understand my accent, or that they’d laugh at me,” she said. “Even though so many doors are closed, keep opening them. Be proud of who you are, and never forget where you came from.”

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