Learning to build and belong at SMU Lyle

For most, engineering is a world of rigid equations and cold precision. For Brianna Navarro, it began as something deeper: a childhood curiosity sparked in sixth grade when she realized she didn’t want to just learn about the world – she wanted to help build a better one.

Growing up in classrooms where learning meant doing, Navarro’s education was shaped by hands-on projects and early exposure to ideas that rewarded persistence as much as precision. From middle school, she began laying the foundation of confidence and curiosity that remains with her today.

“In sixth grade, I was already involved in engineering classes,” Navarro recalled. “That’s when I knew, even as young as I was, that engineering was the place for me.”

From middle school through high school, her passion only grew. She breezed through math and science courses and took advantage of every engineering- and impact-focused extracurricular her school had to offer. When friends began attending summer engineering courses at a small private university in Dallas, she began wondering what SMU Lyle might hold for her.

“Lyle was actually the only school I toured,” Navarro said. “I immediately felt like I belonged here – like this is where I wanted to be.”

Her instinct was put to the test early. Her first few weeks were a flurry of lectures, problem sets and unfamiliar expectations. Classes pushed her harder than she had ever been pushed before – but she didn’t have to face it alone.

Lyle’s Thrive Scholars Program, an initiative that pairs first-year engineering students with peer mentors, connected Navarro with a big-sister figure from her very first day – someone to lean on during her transition to college life, with insider knowledge of the ins and outs of SMU Lyle. Her mentor Jennifer, an engineering student herself, walked her through everything from late-night study sessions to scholarships and student life.

Academic advisors, professors and friends helped along the way, and before long Navarro felt a community of support surrounding her and guiding her forward.

And when the unthinkable happened, the connections she had built became a shoulder to lean on during a dark time. Navarro tragically lost her father during her first year – a parent who had long been her rock and foundation. When she needed it most, her community at Lyle showed up.

“The way my peer mentor, advisors, professors and student organizations surrounded me and showed up for me,” Navarro remembered. “I can’t say what it meant to me. It really helped me realize that no matter what, I can do this.”

“To be able to come to them and hear, ‘You belong here. You earned your place here. You can keep going,’” Navarro said. “It made the difference for me.”

With her support system behind her, Lyle helped Navarro find her footing through every phase of college life, even when getting back up felt impossible. Through her grief came perseverance, and she returned again and again to the curiosity that had first drawn her to engineering as a child.

“My dad was my biggest cheerleader, but it’s incredible to know that I’ve been able to continue and make him proud.”

Her next three years became a way to carry on his legacy, embodying the principles he instilled in her from an early age – perseverance, strength and a love for learning. Despite everything she endured, Navarro flourished during her four years.

And although she could never replace what she had lost, she found family in new ways, from her longtime leadership in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to serving as vice president of operations in Sigma Lambda Gamma, a multicultural sorority at SMU.

From first-year member to marketing leader, SHPE was always more than an organization to Navarro. Her three-year tenure as an executive member was not just about making her mark – it was essential to her identity.

“That was my community,” Navarro said. “I always say SHPE is our familia – our family.”

With a community lifting her, she began to realize how rewarding it felt to lift others. Beginning her junior year, she returned to the Thrive Scholars Program that had made such an impression on her – this time as a mentor. With eight first-year students under her wing, she guided them through the same fears she once faced.

Over time, she realized she needed them as much as they needed her. The opportunity to give back – to be the community she once needed and watch others thrive because of it – became one of the most rewarding experiences she’s ever known.

“I just love watching them succeed,” Navarro said. “One of the most rewarding experiences has been hearing from my mentees who share how the guidance they received has helped them achieve their goals. Knowing that I played a small part in their journey is truly fulfilling.”

She didn’t stop there. Navarro began building junior chapters of SHPE from the ground up, bringing the mentorship, community and resources that made such a difference in her journey to the community where she grew up. The best part – she began with her alma mater.

“Community is what carried me,” Navarro said. “So giving that back, especially to those sitting where I once did, feels amazing.”

For the Lyle community, Navarro built a legacy that remains long after she’s gone and learned to lead with the passion of a true engineer – one who values not just hard work, but the impact that work can have for others. She’s a changemaker in the classroom, too – an academic powerhouse who juggled leadership, coursework and professional opportunities, giving her best to everything she was a part of.

From her May Term vibrations course with professor Elena Borzova – her cheerleader, who reminded her that “if it were easy, everyone would do it” – to senior design with Texas Instruments, Navarro proved she was more than capable.

Today, she has transitioned from a junior-year intern to an FLRAA airframe design engineer with Bell Flight, an aerospace and defense company delivering cutting-edge aircraft with civilian and military applications.

With the trust of her team behind her, she hit the ground running from her very first day, entrusted with building a brand-new tiltrotor helicopter, each step defined by lessons learned in the classroom.

“Design engineering is a center point for so many other disciplines of engineering,” Navarro explained. “I’m not just creating 3D models. I’m asking: Can this part handle the stresses it will face? Are the materials suitable for the job and have the right treatments and processes been applied? Does the hardware integrate seamlessly? How do all of these elements come together to ensure the final product performs as intended on the aircraft?”

“From the moment I set foot at Lyle to right now, I’ve never stopped learning, and I learned how to ask the right questions from my very first day.”

As the youngest member of her team, thriving among seasoned senior engineers, Navarro is living a life her younger self could only dream of. She attributes every success to the unwavering support of those who have stood behind her at each step, from professors and advisors like Borzova to her family, friends and mentors who never let her forget that she belonged.

“Lyle set me up for success in every way,” Navarro said. “I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had gone to a different school. The community really helped me find my confidence and reinforced that success was within my reach.”

Today, Navarro’s story stands as a testament to what one can achieve when curiosity meets possibility. She is no longer just the girl fascinated by equations – she’s the foundation upon which others are building their dreams, offering others the confidence to imagine futures like her own.

“At the end of the day, the biggest limits we face are the ones we place on ourselves,” Navarro said. “Believe in who you are and don’t be afraid to chase opportunities. That’s what Lyle did for me.”

About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering

SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering thrives on innovation that transcends traditional boundaries. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. Founded in 1925, SMU Lyle is one of the oldest engineering schools in the Southwest, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, including master’s and doctoral degrees.

About SMU

SMU is a nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. SMU’s alumni, faculty, and nearly 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, community, and the world.