Maria Valentinez
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Bachelor’s Degree
Aerospace and Occupational Safety
Email: Marivalentinez23@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maria-valentinez
Maria’s direct words of gratitude:
Thank you so much for this scholarship! This award means more than I can express.
I have poured so much effort and love into the ERAU ASSP chapter, and being
recognized and seen by the ASSP West Florida Chapter means the world to me.
This support will help me pay for a portion of my master’s degree in Occupational
Safety Management, which is a great help given my current financial situation.
I truly appreciate your belief in my future. Thank you again for your generosity you are
helping all of us who received this award more than you could know.
Questions from Maria’s Application:
How will you use your degree to make a difference in the future of occupational
safety and health?
My name is Maria Valentinez, and I am earning my bachelor’s degree in Aerospace and
Occupational Safety with a minor in Human Factors this May. I am also enrolled in a
master’s program in Occupational Safety Management and expect to graduate in 2027.
I want to use what I’ve learned to improve occupational safety by preventing problems
before they happen and making sure risk management always considers the people
affected. By combining aerospace safety principles with occupational safety practices, I
hope to design systems that identify hazards early so injuries can be prevented. I
believe safety should never begin after something goes wrong. It should already be
built into daily operations. To me, safety is not reactive; it is intentional, proactive, and
part of the culture. My goal is to work in aviation, where complex systems and human
performance intersect, helping organizations reduce injuries, illnesses, and operational
risks before they escalate. Ultimately, I want to help ensure every worker goes home as
healthy as they arrived through safe design, strong communication, and continuous
improvement.
What attracted you to the safety industry and how has your education affected
your opinion of the field?
I was drawn to safety because it combines science, people, and meaningful work. It
feels good to know this is a field where your job can genuinely save lives. Early on, I
learned that safety is not only about following rules, but also about figuring out why
problems happen and improving systems to prevent them. My education has honestly
changed the way I look at accidents. Before studying safety, I used to think incidents
were just random mistakes or someone messing up. Now I understand that most
accidents come from system weaknesses, human factors, and decisions made at the
organizational level. Learning about hazard analysis, human performance, ergonomics,
and safety management systems showed me that injuries usually don’t just “happen” it
can be prevented when safety is treated as a real priority instead of just a checklist. My
aerospace safety and human factors classes had a huge impact on me. Aviation is one
of the best examples of safety being built into design, training, and everyday
operations. Learning how they use layers of defense and persistent monitoring showed
me why systems need to be set up to protect people even when mistakes happen. That
way of thinking does not belong only in aviation; it works everywhere. The more I learn,
the more I see occupational safety as a lifelong mission. Every class reinforces that
improving safety means improving quality of life, and that motivates me to keep growing
in this profession.
What are some of your educational and professional goals, and how do you plan
on achieving them?
My educational goal is to complete my master’s degree in Occupational Safety
Management while continuing to expand my knowledge every day. I also hope to
support and motivate other students by sharing knowledge and encouraging them to
pursue safety as a meaningful profession. Professionally, I aspire to work in the aviation
industry, particularly within an airline’s Environmental Health and Safety department or
a similar role focused on reducing workplace injuries and illnesses. I want to help
design programs that improve safety culture, reduce risk, and promote employee wellbeing.
I plan to achieve these goals by continuing my graduate education at Embry-
Riddle, gaining practical experience through internships and leadership roles, and
earning professional certifications in the future. By combining education, hands-on
experience, and leadership development, I will be prepared to make meaningful
contributions to occupational safety.
What leadership and/or volunteer roles have you taken within the safety
profession, and what positions do you envision yourself taking in the future?
Since my freshman year of college, I have been involved in the ASSP student
organization at Embry-Riddle. I was invited by my professor to join as Treasurer in
Spring 2023 because she believed I would be a strong fit for leadership. I served in that
role until Spring 2025, when I was elected President of the chapter. Serving as
Treasurer and now President has helped me grow tremendously. In these roles, I’ve
also helped raise funds to support chapter events, professional development
opportunities, and student engagement activities. These experiences strengthened my
leadership skills, taught me how to handle difficult situations, and helped me become
more confident in public speaking. I learned how to delegate tasks, manage
responsibilities, and work with diverse personalities toward a shared goal. Through
ASSP, I have had the opportunity to educate students and families about occupational
safety and why it matters in every field.
Every semester for the past four years, I’ve volunteered during family weekends and
new student welcome events. I’m often asked by our program coordinator to help lead
these events for safety, bringing ASSP members together to introduce incoming
students and their families to our organization. Being able to talk about the safety field
and why it’s important has been one of the most meaningful parts of my college
experience. I enjoy helping people see that safety is a career that protects lives and
supports every industry. In the future, I see myself continuing to volunteer with a
professional ASSP chapter, mentoring student members, and supporting student
chapters the same way others have supported me. I’m already working toward that by
creating a mentorship program that pairs alumni with students for guidance and career
support. I started this program because I wanted to build stronger connections within
our chapter and create a more family-like environment where students feel supported,
not just professionally but personally. Long term, I hope to continue serving as a mentor
and leader in the safety community, helping students grow, feel confident, and know
they have people in their corner.
What is your greatest takeaway from the current school year? How do you think
this knowledge will impact yourself and others throughout your career?
One of my biggest takeaways this school year is the understanding that accidents are
preventable when systems are properly designed and managed. I learned that even
natural disasters should be prepared for, and organizations must always have written
procedures and proactive planning. Another major impact was developing my personal
safety philosophy: “Make sure all workers go home the way they came in. Be a safety
mentor, not a safety cop. Design systems that fail safely.” This philosophy reminds me
that safety is about care, leadership, and system design, not punishment. This is going
to shape how I approach risk, leadership, and the way I communicate with people
throughout my career. I want to help create workplaces where employees don’t just
follow safety rules, but actually feel safe, respected, and supported. To me, safety isn’t
just a requirement you check off, it’s an ongoing effort to improve, protect people, and
make organizations stronger.
What makes you stand out as an applicant?
What truly sets me apart is the connection I build with people. Throughout my
education and leadership experiences, I have learned that the most important part of
safety is not just systems or procedures, it is people feeling heard, supported, and
understood while injuries are being reduced. I have realized that being able to connect
with others, listen to their concerns, and make them feel comfortable talking about
safety is one of my strongest qualities. It is something my professors, peers, and
supervisors from both past internships and my current job have shared with me as well.
Hearing that has meant a lot, because it is also something that genuinely makes me
happy to do. When I am helping people feel safer or more confident, it feels like I am
doing what I am meant to be doing.
My education in occupational and aerospace safety has given me a strong technical
foundation, but what truly makes me stand out is how deeply involved I have been with
ASSP. Over the years, I have put a lot of time, energy, and heart into helping our
student chapter grow, stay interactive, and continue meaningful outreach. I have
worked to make sure our events are not only educational, but also welcoming and
engaging so more students can feel connected to the safety field. Showing up
consistently and supporting others through this organization has shaped me more than
anything else. It has reinforced that safety is about caring for people and creating
environments where they feel protected, valued, and supported. Balancing my
undergraduate and graduate studies while working, serving as a student organization
president, and being involved in other campus organizations has pushed me to grow.
Managing these responsibilities strengthened my time management, discipline, and
ability to stay focused during busy seasons. It has not always been easy, but it has
shown me how much I can handle when I stay committed. I am dedicated to growing
both professionally and personally, and I actively look for ways to learn, lead, and
support those around me. I also approach safety with a human centered mindset. My
minor in Human Factors has helped me understand how design, environment, and
behavior all influence safety outcomes. It has taught me that effective safety programs
do not just focus on rules, they focus on the people affected by them. Most importantly,
I see safety as a purpose, not just a career. These experiences have shaped who I am
and who I hope to continue becoming in this field. Being considered for this opportunity
truly means a great deal to me. It motivates me to keep working hard, continue my
education, and grow into a safety professional who genuinely protects and supports
others. I am sincerely grateful for the consideration and the chance to keep pursuing
something that feels deeply meaningful to me.
