Her Story
About Summer
Summer Hernandez is a Faculty Instructor at St. Philip's College within the Alamo Colleges District, where she teaches electromechanical devices and motor controls as part of the automated industrial processes degree plan. She also instructs for Texas FAME (Texas Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education), a program that partners with manufacturers across San Antonio to build foundational skills and apprenticeship pathways for students entering the trade. Her path into education began in high school, where she participated in construction trades courses and later joined the Alamo Academies dual-credit machining program, laying the groundwork for a career built on hands-on technical expertise.
Before stepping into the classroom, Hernandez spent years immersed in the manufacturing industry itself. She completed an internship with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas and went on to work there for roughly six years as an Equipment Maintenance Technician in the paint department. She later joined Tesla, where she spent about three years working across engineering, planning, and reliability roles within the Body-in-White department. Though she found the early stages of production at Tesla exciting, the pace eventually grew too demanding, prompting her transition into teaching at the encouragement of a mentor. Today, she balances her full-time teaching role with her own studies, working toward a bachelor's degree in industrial technologies with a focus on energy and gas.
Hernandez's drive is rooted in a challenging upbringing, having spent time in foster care and navigated a family history marked by addiction and mental health struggles. Rather than let low expectations define her, she has used that adversity as motivation to build a life of stability for herself and her children. She has been selected to be featured as one of the Influential Women representing Texas for 2026, a recognition of her commitment to advancing technical education and supporting the next generation entering manufacturing. Through her teaching and mentorship, she encourages young women in male-prevalent fields to set their own standards, refuse others' limitations, and lead by example for those who will follow.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Summer
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the difficult upbringing I overcame. I spent time in foster care, and my mother struggled with chemical dependency and mental health issues. Family members once told me they didn't expect much from me, and that mindset became the fuel for my determination to prove them wrong. I never wanted that life for myself or for my children, and that drive has carried me through every stage of my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
An older mentor once encouraged me to consider teaching. I took her advice, stepped into the classroom, and discovered how much I truly love it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
For high school students, I'd say to listen to your parents, since your GPA and performance in high school genuinely affect your placement opportunities afterward. Don't stress over how many AP courses you take; focus on passing them and keeping your grades solid, and you'll be fine. For women in this industry, never let anyone, especially an older man or manager, tell you what you can or cannot do. Define your own standards for yourself. If you're the only woman in the room, strive to be not just the best female, but the best employee or student overall. Setting that example matters, because others will shape their expectations of future women based on how you perform.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Manufacturing is still a male-prevalent field, which brings its own pressures, but it also gives women like me the opportunity to set the standard for those who follow. Programs like Texas FAME are helping expand apprenticeship pathways into the industry. Looking ahead, I'm also considering opportunities in oil and gas as a way to build long-term financial security for my retirement.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Resilience, education, and empowering others are central to who I am. I care deeply about setting a positive example for the next generation, both in the classroom and in my own life, so that others coming up behind me have someone to look to.
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