Utsav Lathia was looking for a way to keep teaching.
He had finished a stint running an introductory computer science course at Morehouse College in Atlanta and wanted to stay involved in education alongside his day job. Meghan Houghton, an e4usa® liaison and his colleague at Google, introduced him to e4usa®, where he could work with high school students as a liaison.
“I have always loved teaching and being in the path of education,” Utsav said. “I like to find ways to give back especially at the stage where students are figuring out what they like and want to do.”
Three years later, he is still making those connections.
During that time, Utsav has worked with two e4usa teachers, sharing his experience and helping students explore what engineering can look like beyond the classroom. He has also introduced e4usa to colleagues in his own network. At least three current liaisons became involved through connections he made.
One introduction brought Utsav to e4usa. His introductions have since brought others into the community, giving more teachers and students people they can turn to for experience, expertise, encouragement, and a different perspective.
For Utsav, the opportunity to build relationships throughout the school year was part of the appeal. The liaison role offered a manageable commitment alongside his professional responsibilities, with enough continuity to stay connected.
“Once I started, I knew it was right for me and continued throughout the years,” he said.
His favorite moments are the ones when students begin to see new possibilities for themselves.
“My favorite moments are those where you can see a lightbulb go off in a student’s mind,” he said. “Either they have discovered that something they thought they couldn’t do is now achievable or they are excited by a new pathway in life.”
Utsav recognizes that students may be curious about a career without knowing anyone who works in it. A conversation with someone in that field gives them a chance to ask questions, hear about different paths, and make a possible future feel a little more familiar.
His own career brings that perspective to his liaison work. Previously at Google, Utsav is now a Senior Product Manager at Cerebras. Through relationships with professionals like him, e4usa teachers and students get to know people whose experiences can expand their understanding of where engineering might lead.
But Utsav also sees value in engineering for students who choose other careers.
“It’s great exposure to a field they may be interested in,” he said. “It is also a mindset that they can take with them to any field and job they go into.”
That idea is central to e4usa. Through the engineering design process, students learn to understand a problem, listen to the people affected by it, develop and test possible solutions, and use what they learn to improve their work. They tackle real problems with real constraints, where an idea may need several attempts before it works. Whether they become engineers or pursue another path, students can carry that practice of asking questions, working with others, and solving problems into their lives.
That belief is also why Utsav gives financially to e4usa.
“I feel that this curriculum is extremely meaningful in opening doors and pathways for students,” he said.
His donations support the same work he contributes to as a liaison: helping more students have access to those opportunities.
We are grateful for the many ways Utsav has chosen to be part of e4usa. He shares his time, invites others to get involved, and makes personal gifts because he believes in what students can gain.
Our Annual Fund theme, Deep Roots. Growing Strong. Growing Together., reflects that kind of commitment. As we enter the final two months of the campaign, we invite you to join Utsav in supporting this community. A gift by December 31, 2026, helps sustain the work our teachers, liaisons, and students do together.