Chemical Engineering Student Emanuelle Menezes Named 2026 HSF Scholar

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Emanuelle “Manu” Menezes, a rising senior in chemical engineering with a concentration in biochemical engineering, has been selected as a 2026 Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholar. The HSF Scholar designation recognizes students for their academic accomplishments, leadership, and dedication to their educational and professional goals.

As an HSF Scholar, Menezes will have access to career services, mentorship, leadership development, professional development opportunities, and wellness training. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund was founded to help students and families access the resources, knowledge, and support needed to excel in higher education and prepare for successful careers.

“Being first-generation means carrying my parents’ sacrifices in everything I do,” says Menezes, whose parents immigrated from Brazil. “I’m not just building a future for myself; I’m honoring my family’s dedication to giving me opportunities so many immigrants dream of. Being named an HSF Scholar recognizes them just as much as me.”

Menezes hopes to pursue a career in biopharmaceutical manufacturing after graduation. She is currently completing her second summer as a manufacturing operations intern at Pfizer, following a previous internship with the company in summer 2025.

Menezes’s interest in the field also extends to research. This past year, she joined the lab of Professor Sarah Perry as an undergraduate research assistant, working under the mentorship of Alaleh Vaghef-Koodehi on mRNA separation using microfluidic platforms.

In addition to her academic and professional accomplishments, Menezes has taken on several leadership roles within the Riccio College of Engineering community. She serves as treasurer of the UMass Amherst student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and as events coordinator for the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE). She is also the founding president of Theta Tau’s new candidate chapter at UMass Amherst, the first professional engineering fraternity on campus, which she has helped build from the ground up as it works toward full chartered status.