Gabriel Velaz

Hometown
Decatur, Georgia

High School
St. Pius X Catholic High School

Degree
Mechanical Engineering

Expected Graduation
Spring 2026

What is your favorite thing about being a student at UGA?

My favorite thing about being a student at UGA is going to the football games. I always loved watching UGA play growing up and being able to go to the games as a student makes me feel like I’m truly a part of the UGA community.

Why did you choose engineering?

The moment that I knew I wanted to pursue a career in engineering was towards the end of high school when I got my first prosthetic. This prosthetic was built to help me do exercises that I was never able to do before. I loved it at first, but after a while I realized that it wasn’t perfect. It was breaking a lot and there were many things about it that could be improved. So, I wanted to go into engineering and make a better one that won’t just help me, but hopefully help out other people with similar circumstances as me.

Why is it important for the university to have a diverse community?

Having a diverse community is very important for a university because it allows you to learn more. When you are surrounded by a group of people with different backgrounds and cultures, you get to view different things from a lens that you’ve never seen before.

What has been the greatest challenge you have faced while at UGA, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge for me at UGA was figuring out what I truly like. I originally started off as a biological engineer and after taking lots of chemistry as well as looking more into biological engineering, I realized that it wasn’t the right fit for me. That was when I started looking into mechanical engineering and I figured out that the mechanical side of engineering is more of my thing.

What have you learned that has made a difference for you?

I think that the most important thing that I’ve learned during my time here has been being a good communicator. Being able to communicate and present ideas is just as important as being able to understand engineering concepts. UGA has given me plenty of opportunities to work on these skills and be a good balance between being able to interact with others and solve mathematical equations.

Who has helped you become a successful student at UGA?

I have been influenced by a lot of people at UGA but one of them that stood out was Dr. Stooksbury. I took thermodynamics with him over the summer and as you may know that class is not fun. However, after going to all his classes and listening to his lectures, he made the class a bit more interesting. He also helped me develop a good work ethic as he assigned a lot of homework that required me to stay on track and learn the information.

What is your favorite spot on campus and why?

My favorite spot on campus is Driftmier. I like being surrounded by all my engineering friends and it never gets as crowded as the center of campus. It also feels like home as all my classes are in Driftmier now.

What has been your favorite class at UGA?

My favorite class at UGA is currently one I’m taking right now which is Mechanical Engineering Design Studio. In this class, we get to work in a group to design a device that will launch a disk golf with the goal of accurately hitting a target. There are different constrictions and things to work around which really allows you to apply your engineering skills to a real-life situation. It is also a competition with the rest of the class which adds to the fun of being in the class.

What has been your best memory at UGA?

My favorite memory at UGA is the Tennessee vs UGA game during my freshman year. The atmosphere was like no other game I’ve been to and College Gameday showed up which was crazy. The game was so fun to be at and it even rained through one part of it which added to the crazy atmosphere I was in.

What advice do you have for younger students who wish to pursue engineering?

Engineering can be a very rewarding career path, but it won’t be an easy one. You have to put in the work, but just like everything in life, nothing worth having comes easy.

How do you hope to impact society with your engineering degree?

I hope that I can design prosthetics that can not only change my life, but also change the lives of others in need of them. In addition to that, I want to send the message to others that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.