Although Millenia Polanco ’22 (ENG) spent the past three years working as a successful software engineer for a large corporation, she yearned to return to an academic environment where intellectual curiosity is encouraged and innovation is nurtured.

“I wanted to develop creative solutions to common learning challenges in our technology-driven society and I craved the intellectual challenge and collaborative energy only found in a classroom,” Polanco says.

Encouraged by a trusted UConn mentor, Polanco—a computer science major—explored the newly established Ph.D. program in Engineering Education within the College of Engineering.

“Discovering this program felt serendipitous—it was a moment of clarity in my extensive search for a graduate school. I knew this program was very special. It embodies my interests and experiences in innovation, the arts, engineering, and education,” she says.

The Graduate School met Polanco’s application with enthusiasm. She was not only admitted to the Ph.D. program but also selected as a Distinguished Graduate Fellow and named an Impact Scholar—UConn Graduate School’s highest honor, awarded to fewer than 1% of graduate applicants.

“Impact Scholars are selected based on the specific ways they can make a positive impact through graduate study at UConn,” says Leslie Shor, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. “The scholarship, leadership, and engagement activities outlined in Millenia’s application clearly demonstrate how she will leverage UConn’s people, programs, research centers, and community partners to achieve great things. We welcome Millenia back to UConn!”

On a Mission

According to code.org, more than 354,000 computing jobs are available in the U.S. However, only 90,940 computer science majors graduated into the workforce in 2024. Additionally, only half of the country’s public high schools offer a computer science class.

Polanco wants this to change.

“The need for accessible engineering education is urgent,” Polanco says. “As artificial intelligence advances at an unprecedented rate, it is even more critical to ensure that students are not only consumers of technology but creators and innovators as well.”

“The need for accessible engineering education is urgent,” Polanco says. “As artificial intelligence advances at an unprecedented rate, it is even more critical to ensure that students are not only consumers of technology but creators and innovators as well.” — Millenia Polanco ’22 (ENG)

As she returns to the classroom, Polanco aims to connect with undergraduates, graduates, and faculty who are interested in developing educational software and tools that broaden access to engineering.

The Engineering Education Ph.D. program, she says, is more than an academic opportunity. It is a platform “to innovate creative solutions, uplift communities, and make a lasting impact,” she says. “With the support of UConn’s resources, mentorship, community, and entrepreneurial ecosystem, I am excited to contribute meaningfully to the university and beyond. Ensuring that my work benefits not only UConn but also the world.”

A Knack for Mentoring

While pursuing her Ph.D., Polanco also wants to help fellow UConn students reach their highest academic potential and achieve personal growth. In particular, she will focus on promoting diversity, expanding opportunity, and empowering women to consider engineering as a career.

“Engineering and technology fields still greatly suffer from a lack of representation, particularly amongst women and marginalized groups,” she says.

As a recent graduate of the International Coaching Federation, Polanco works as an academic coach and helps students with prioritizing, organizing, and planning their academic and career goals. In April 2024, she joined the Sparkle Wellness team with her mother and Sparkle founder and CEO Marsha Polanco ’02 (CLAS). Millenia’s father, William Polanco ’02 (BUS) also is a UConn alum.

“My parents were my first and favorite teachers, so I sincerely enjoy working with my mom,” she says.

Mentoring students and offering advice come natural to Polanco. In most cases, she believes the person seeking advice already knows what they should do.

“As a coach, I find so much joy in offering tools and guidance that empower clients to discover the solutions that work best for them,” she says. “There is nothing more rewarding than watching someone achieve a goal they defined entirely for themselves.”

Early Inspiration

Polanco’s own interest in technology, computing, and engineering began at a young age. At 4, she was asking her parents for a computer.

It wasn’t until she was 15 that computer programming and coding piqued her curiosity. While tutoring students in a K-8 STEM summer camp, Polanco encountered a “a brilliant 7-year-old” who introduced her to the programming language Python.

“He was persistent and so very adamant that I explore the coding language. That second grader gave me a mustard seed of knowledge that propelled my curiosity in computer science,” she recalls.

In 2018, as an incoming freshman at UConn, Polanco enrolled in the Vergnano Institute for Inclusion’s Bridge program. During this five-week intensive academic enrichment program, Polanco took prep courses in STEM fields, and she was reintroduced to Python coding.

A year later, she returned to the BRIDGE program as a tutor, teaching new freshman about Python and leading professional development workshops.

Giving Back

In addition to serving a tutor, Polanco volunteered at the National Science Bowl competition for high school students; Caribe Youth Leaders, organizing a community event for 300 children and families; Sisters in STEM, leading empowerment workshops for underrepresented 10th grade girls; Global Brigades, helping to distribute medical supplies in a Ghanian village; and CHESS Health Solutions, conducting clinical research to advocate for healthy eating within the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut. She also served as secretary of the National Society of Black Engineering and co-event coordinator of Campus Curls National Organization.

And while at UConn, she actively contributed to research efforts focused on osteoporosis, environmental injustice, COVID-19 testing compliance on campus, and advancements in ultrasound imaging. She ultimately graduated with honors as a McNair Scholar, Louis Stokes Minority Alliance Scholar, and Google CSR Researcher before taking a job as a software engineer for American Express in their Enterprise, Data Governance and Artificial Intelligence Department.

In May 2024, the College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineers honored Polanco with GOLD Rising Star Award.

“Denzel Washington so eloquently said, ‘It is not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished. It’s about what you’ve done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better,’” Polanco says. “My faith, parents, Denzel’s quote, and the communities I grew up in nourished my drive to create a conscious habit of helping others. Additionally, I have benefited from the generosity of others through knowledge, scholarship, and kindness. So I never hesitate to give back when I can.”