A life of purpose through inspiration and leadership is the way Jose Sarmiento, an undergraduate student in the Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE), plans to bring positive changes to the world. Sarmiento, who seems to always have an infectious smile on his face, humbly exemplifies his leadership skills in everything he does, whether it is playing a game of pick-up soccer, working with the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) at Georgia Tech, mentoring his fellow students, as a member of Alpha Pi Mu, or representing ISyE on the College of Engineering Undergraduate Advisory Council.

“Jose has been a wonderful addition to the newly formed Undergraduate Advisory Council in the College of Engineering,” said Gary May, Dean of the College of Engineering. “His insights are extremely helpful as we discuss issues and initiatives designed to enhance the educational experiences of our undergraduates.”

When choosing a school to pursue his dream of becoming a gifted leader, Sarmiento said the choice was no accident or quick decision. Beyond ISyE’s high rankings and excellent reputation, Sarmiento believed Georgia Tech would be action-oriented and could provide him with the momentum to achieve his goals to make a difference in the world. As a student, Sarmiento’s drive, passion, and leadership skills have been very evident to his classmates and the ISyE faculty.

According the Chen Zhou, associate chair for undergraduate studies at ISyE, “The most fitting word to describe Jose is ‘intensity.’  He is always intensely involved in whatever he is doing whether it is figuring out better strategies for IIE events, finding cases or projects to support his class work, or teaching incoming students how to land intern or co-op jobs.  Jose is smart, reliable, and modest. You can always count on him to give 100% to his activities and endeavors.”

Sarmiento’s desire to become an authentic leader was nurtured through his invaluable life experiences growing up in Venezuela. Working in a market back home, Sarmiento saw first-hand opportunities to improve output and moral. He plans to put his leadership and industrial engineering (IE) skills into action with a future career in agriculture. He believes a degree in IE will give him the tools and knowledge he needs to solve problems with a systematic approach, while empowering others. According to Sarmiento, the power of a leader is measured by how powerful he makes those who follow him.

For students considering coming to Georgia Tech to study at ISyE, Sarmiento encourages them to believe in themselves and their possibilities. In his opinion, persistence is much more important than getting it right the first time.

“There is a way for you to encompass something much bigger than yourself and it’s done through persistence, through courage, through always trying to move forward regardless of what happens,” reflects Sarmiento.

In addition to his studies and campus leadership activities, Sarmiento is participating in the Co-op program with Delta Cargo, where he is enjoying expanding his horizons as he gains real-world experience. He expects to graduate from ISyE in the fall of 2012.