Melissa Poncini '24 finds community in other female electrical engineers through COFFEE

Starting college can be a daunting experience, filled with overwhelming thoughts and stressful moments. It's not uncommon for students to feel this way, but often, it can be difficult to express those feelings and find support.  

Melissa Poncini, a third-year electrical engineering major at UC Davis, struggled with this until she joined the Club of Future Female Electrical Engineers at UC Davis, or COFFEE, during her second year of college and made meaningful connections with other students who could offer support and advice. 

Now, she sits as chair of the club.  

COFFEE is an organization that promotes academics, retention, and community among women in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. The club was founded in 2018 when a group of women electrical engineering majors realized the transition from lower-division to upper-division courses was challenging.  

"As a part of the board, I have the chance to create opportunities for the women in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department to build support systems and help each other persist through rigorous academics," she said. "It feels good to contribute back to the system that helped me so much."

With support from COFFEE mentors, she now believes her engineering college career is just as rewarding as it is challenging. One of those rewards includes an undergraduate research position with Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering J. Sebastian Gomez-Diaz working on a project dealing with biomedical imaging and terahertz domain electromagnetic signals. 

"I am very excited to see what I have learned about in classes being applied right in front of me and put my skills to work to contribute where I can," she said.  

COFFEE continues to help Melissa stay on track by offering study hours and reminding her that it's okay to ask for help. With her unwavering determination and the support of COFFEE, Melissa is paving the way for future female engineers, proving that anything is possible with a little bit of community and encouragement.