Marcelyn Tavares

"I had the pleasure of mentoring Marcelyn for three years through the Minds Matter program, which supports high-achieving students through their high school journey every Saturday during the school year. From the very beginning, Marcelyn stood out for her drive, curiosity, and genuine desire to grow. Over those three years, I got to watch her discover her interests, take on new challenges, and push herself to reach every goal she set — including absolutely acing the college application process.

What impressed me most was how she handled everything that came her way. Even when life threw curveballs, Marcelyn stayed committed and steady. She managed a packed schedule between school, after-school activities, a part-time job, and the demanding workload of Minds Matter — and she did it all with focus and positivity. She never cut corners or complained; she just found a way to get things done.

As someone who works as a hardware engineer at IBM — where I lead projects that require coordinating across multiple teams and hitting tight product deadlines — I really value strong time management, reliability, and perseverance. Marcelyn embodies all of those qualities. She’s resourceful, self-motivated, and dependable — the kind of person you can count on to follow through and deliver, no matter the circumstances.

I have no doubt she’ll bring that same work ethic and determination into any role she takes on. Marcelyn is an absolute standout, and any team would be lucky to have her."