By David Ysais
As a young first-generation student, Evelyn Saucedo was always drawn to mathematics and the sciences. “I always had an interest in STEM, but young girls were not always introduced to it.”
That changed when Saucedo found her spot at San José City College’s MESA program. “Initially, I didn’t consider it too much, but after I began working and meeting with engineers, my interest became strong. That was the change. None of this would be possible without MESA,” said the SJCC engineering student.
MESA stands for Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement. It is a state-funded program, supported at SJCC by a Hispanic Serving Institution STEM grant, designed to ignite STEM journeys among students who may have yet to be exposed to these areas of study. STEM is one of the eight Student Pathways to Opportunity and Transfer (SPOT) offered by SJCC.
It doesn’t take a scientist to measure the value of the MESA Program at San José City College. You can feel it among those students who are participants and are thriving thanks to the environment and encouragement the program is creating for those choosing one of many STEM pathways on campus.
The MESA Program at SJCC engages economically and educationally disadvantaged students, especially first-generation students, and prepares them for transfer and career success. MESA aims to build a diverse generation of STEM leaders and professionals nationwide, so why not start here at SJCC?
The MESA Program aims to bring students closer to their dreams of STEM careers, and the MESA Center is designed to provide tools and opportunities to make those dreams come true.
Program director Chynna Obana is the guiding force behind the MESA Program at SJCC. For her, the task is nurturing the whole student.
“In the short time I have been in MESA, I have grown as a person and a student fully dedicated to my major. MESA has given me a safe and inviting place to ask for advice and study with my fellow STEM majors. This program truly has the resources and staff STEM majors have been missing.”
Rodrigo hernandez, sjcc biology major
“It goes beyond the educational part; there are financial and personal aspects of college that we address. We help students find their path,” Obana said.
She walked a similar path. Obana is the daughter of immigrants and a first-generation college student. She managed the internship program at NASA Ames. Obana was pre-med in college but decided her calling was public service in the form of education with a focus on helping STEM students. She connects with their journey at SJCC and beyond.
She also feels building a trusted community at the MESA Center is critical.
“STEM students can support each other in and outside the classroom; one way this happens is through study groups. In the MESA Center, friendships are formed, and informal mentorship starts where peers build a trusted community and feel like they belong.”
Obana encourages students to utilize all the resources and services on campus, from financial aid to counseling to basic needs. An essential resource and relationship is their professors, who can provide another form of mentorship.
“I have an open-door policy and tell students it’s okay to seek help. They are welcome to ask me questions. For example, we often discuss how to manage time and prioritize responsibilities at home, school, and their jobs,” she said.
The MESA Program offers numerous timely scholarships, internships, and other STEM opportunities for students at SJCC. In some cases, these options can be historic and life-changing.
San José State University’s Microscale Process Engineering Laboratory awarded Saucedo a 10-week intensive summer internship focused on the calibration of silicone and dry oxidation.
“While outside companies had run tests on wet oxidation, no one was using dry oxidation. We heated material in a furnace and measured all data as part of our lab training,” Saucedo said. “We analyzed the results, and those of us from SJCC were very involved in the process. Our data was used by the university for some of its future experimentation.”
Saucedo said the interns thrived. Since they had limited time, they perfected a learn-as-you-go process. “My fellow interns became great friends. We reached out to each other about events and opportunities and networked to help each other,” she said.
“Chynna and the folks involved in the program made it a reality by creating scholarships, internships, contacts, and pathways. It’s especially important for me as a first-generation student from a low-income family.”
SJCC engineering student Cameron Reynolds was thrilled with his experience with MESA. “There are so many great internships. The one I experienced was a robotics internship at SJSU. We created and managed EEG headsets used to scan the brain. MESA provides these opportunities in so many areas for students.”
Other SJCC students also described their experience with the MESA Program:
Joshua Vidal, engineering: “MESA is a place where I can be me. I don’t have to worry about pretending to be someone else. It’s a place where all Is welcome. The staff there are cool and very nice. Thanks to MESA, I get so many opportunities that I didn’t even know existed.”
Elizabeth Garcia Lopez, biology: “MESA has provided me with more opportunities that are very beneficial and supportive for my career in STEM. It has connected me to a wider range of support and skills important for my success as a STEM major, such as internship opportunities and workshops.”
Rodrigo Hernandez, biology: “In the short time I have been in MESA, I have grown as a person and a student fully dedicated to my major. MESA has given me a safe and inviting place to ask for advice and study with my fellow STEM majors. This program truly has the resources and staff STEM majors have been missing.”
Julia Cruz, chemistry: “MESA means opportunity to me. The opportunity to grow through workshops and applying myself. The opportunity to network with other STEM majors, with whom I could ask questions and feel understood. The opportunity to be heard and welcomed by other dedicated staff and students.”
More than 100 SJCC students are part of the MESA Program, and that number will undoubtedly continue to grow. Students are starting to bring their friends to the MESA Center to take advantage of the program.
“There was not a central place where this happened, and now students have MESA to help them find internship and research opportunities, engage in professional development resume-building, mock interviews, industry tours, field trips to tech companies, STEM conferences, and hands-on technical workshops, Obana said. “All this exposure, information, and engagement helps retain students in STEM and motivate them to achieve their STEM dreams.”
The MESA Center is located in the Multi-Disciplinary Building (M-101).
