Esteban Mendieta

Class of 2018
Hometown: Indian Trail, NC

Esteban Mendieta, of Indian Trail, NC, graduated in May 2018 with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business Management. Esteban has relocated to New York City and is creating value as a mechanical engineer and pursuing an MBA. Esteban stated, “Being a Levine Scholar allowed me to make each opportunity my own, providing me with enriching experiences that have made me more flexible, mindful and positive along my journey.”  As a Levine Scholar, Esteban had the opportunity to intern at Habitat for Humanity Charlotte, the Charlotte-based engineering firm Zapata, Inc., and a French startup company. His international experiences during his time in the Levine Scholars Program included studying abroad in Seville, Spain for a semester and living, working, and learning in Aix-en-Provence, France for five weeks. Esteban’s favorite way to give back to the community has been by helping individuals gain proficiency in English, wherever he is. When in Charlotte, Esteban used his proficiency in Spanish and French to assist individuals at the public library’s weekly ESL group. While in Spain he taught English to kindergarteners and second graders at a public school in Seville.  As part of his civic engagement grant, Esteban and three fellow scholars designed and completed a calisthenics area on UNC Charlotte’s campus, adding a place for students, staff and the community to incorporate functional fitness into their day. During his time at UNC Charlotte, Esteban found that “being a 49er has been impactful to me because I’ve been able to explore and engage the Charlotte community that I grew up with, but in a new and entirely different way.”