A Focus on Excellence [Pathways]

Abstract

Franklin Quilumba believes that his passion for knowledge and dedication to personal growth are what guided him toward engineering. From a very early age, he had his mind set on studying at the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN), the National Polytechnic School, the most prestigious higher-education institution in his native country of Ecuador. Quilumba attended León Ruales high school in his hometown of Mira, located in the Ecuadorian province of Carchi. It was during that time when he was first introduced to the EPN by his physics teacher, an exceptional educator who not only did a great job explaining the concept but also kindled students’ passion by challenging them to solve physics problems from a book authored by esteemed EPN professors. “Through my teacher’s efforts, I became well acquainted with the academic excellence and expertise available at EPN,” Quilumba explained. He also emphasized the important role that his parents played in his decision to become an engineer since they had always been very supportive and fostered his passion for academic excellence.