Before enrolling at Wake Tech, William Guevara Jr. was determined to be a leader during his college years. Now, as he prepares to graduate, it's clear he exceeded those goals.

"I love helping people," the Mechanical Engineering Technology student said. "It was my goal when I came to Wake Tech to work hard and grow as much as I could."

In his first year, Guevara quickly connected with the Student Government Association (SGA), where he served as vice president before being elected president the following year. In his SGA roles, he empowered students to express their thoughts and opinions, encouraged study groups and emphasized participation in school activities.

"Before college, I was very shy and kept to myself. SGA helped me come out of my shell and connect with a lot of my peers."

Guevara's passion for leading others and hard work reaches beyond student government. He is also a member of two prestigious leadership organizations – The National Society of Leadership and Success and Phi Beta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges. He works part-time as a lab technician for the Mechanical Engineering Technology program and earned his Certified SolidWorks Associate designation, which demonstrates his cutting-edge skills in mechanical design.

Because of his outstanding contributions at Wake Tech, Guevara was named the college's 2025 recipient of the Dwight O. Ryan Outstanding Student of the Year Award, the highest achievement award a Wake Tech student can achieve. He also received the North Carolina Community Colleges Academic Excellence Award, which is given to one outstanding student from each of North Carolina's 58 community colleges.

"It's rare for a single student to have a wide-ranging impact on all those around him," said Muffy Vestal, department head of Engineering & Design, who nominated Guevara. "From his involvement as a volunteer in school events to being a strong advocate of the difference higher education makes in people's lives, William has made a great impact on faculty, staff and fellow students."

A high school senior during the COVID-19 pandemic, Guevara says he was unsure what he wanted to do after graduation. But he remembered the experience Wake Tech provided for his older sister.

"I heard about Wake Tech because my older sister attended," he said. "I knew that my decision to come to Wake Tech would allow me to explore career opportunities."

Guevara is excited about working as a mechanical engineer at RK&K, a civil engineering firm in Raleigh, after graduation. He says he hopes to eventually earn his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University or East Carolina University.

"I might be successful, but it doesn't come without its challenges," he said. "Wake Tech, my family and friends have been here to help me. I didn't get here alone. My success is not just from my labors, but the labor of others as well."