Students at Biotech Brunch - In November 2023, students participated in Brunch with Biotech.
Women in Engineering Conference - In March 2024, the Silicon Valley Women in Engineering Conference hosted many of the next generation of women in STEM!
MESA Leadership Summit - In April, MESA students from across the state joined together for a three-day weekend retreat and leadership summit in Santa Cruz.
High School MESA Visit - In April, MESA welcomed a group of 40 student leaders from local high school MESA programs to explore the WV campus and MESA Center.
MESA and Lab Rats - The STEM club "The Lab Rats" hosted an end-of-year potluck with MESA.
MESA and Lab Rats Potluck - MESA and The Lab Rats excited to eat the food brought for their potluck!
Lab Rats T-Shirts - The Lab Rats showed off their club merch with the MESA Counselor and Office Coordinator.
Starting out in 1970 as a pre-college intervention program in California, the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program was founded to serve underrepresented and underserved students in engineering, physical science, and math-based fields. Their goal was to develop academic and leadership skills, raise educational expectations, and instill confidence in students historically underrepresented in STEM fields in order to increase the number of students graduating from a four-year university.
Today, MESA spans across the country, helping students successfully advance in their STEM educational journeys in four-year university programs and beyond. At West Valley College, the MESA program is dedicated to supporting educationally and economically disadvantaged students preparing to transfer to four-year colleges or universities.
Eligibility
- Declare a calculus based major in math, science, engineering, or related STEM field
- Intend to transfer to a 4-year college
- First-generation college student (parents do not have a bachelor’s degree or higher)
- Recipient of financial aid or BOG fee wavier
- U.S citizen, Permanent Resident, or AB 540/DACA
- A supportive and collaborative learning environment at the MESA Center
- The North Walk Portables 4 & 5 are open Mondays through Fridays for MESA students to study, socialize, and learn together.
- Group and individual tutoring
- MESA connects students with dedicated tutors in STEM.
- Dedicated faculty and staff
- MESA consists of a dedicated Director, Counselor, and Office Coordinator who are here to provide support.
- Transfer and career preparation
- STEM enrichment and student success workshops
- Connection to the industry
- MESA students will have opportunities to meet with professionals across industries. Past partnerships have included Stanford University and Kaiser Permanente.
- Scholarship, internship, and research opportunities
Contact Information
Raiida Thompson
MESA
Director
(408)-741-2053
[email protected]
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Jonathan Tran
MESA
Counselor
(408) 741-2526
[email protected]
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Faithlin Hunter
MESA
Office Coordinator
(408) 741-2483
[email protected]
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