“I am grateful for being able to be a part of MESA. After graduating high school, I was nervous to go to college but joining MESA allowed me to calm my nerves and look forward to my future. MESA has provided me a peaceful environment where I can not only study, but also meet lots of wonderful people. I am glad that I have a place on campus where I can focus and get my work done.”

- Odette Tapia - Biology

“First and foremost, MESA is positive because it is collaborative. Everyone works to attain noble goals. Furthermore, everyone I know at MESA is determined to use their scientific knowledge for purposes of peace. Last but not least, the MESA program is determined to assist people with disabilities in entering the field of science.”

- Kevin Arredondo - Biology

"Being chosen to attend this MESA Student Leadership Conference 2018 was something my mentor had always pushed on me to attend. I’m grateful to have been part of the growing movement that’s behind MES, whose mission is to fulfill the dreams of minorities and first generations in STEM."

- Pauline Poe, Aerospace Engineering

“MESA literally is home on campus for STEM students. Stepping onto DVC’s campus for the first time, I had already heard about the support group, but I didn’t think the impact it had on me was going to be as great as it was. Once I actually started going to the center, I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by friendly optimistic peers; some who conveniently were in most of my classes.

- Gabriel Gebru, Mechanical Engineering, MESA alum

“Joining MESA was one of the best decisions I made at DVC. Through MESA I was able to meet and connect with students with similar interests. MESA connected me to events on and off of campus. I was able to connect with Avenue E through MESA, and even gain a specialized STEM lab tour of the UC Davis campus that I would have otherwise missed out on.”

- Chris Calderon, Environmental Engineering, MESA alum

“Being a part of MESA (Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement) was a tremendous resource for me during my time in DVC. One part of MESA that was very beneficial to me was the specialized tutoring for some of the more difficult math and science classes. Equally as important, participating in MESA allowed me to develop friendships and network with other students whose educational and career goals were similar to mine.”

- Joseph Worku, Computer Science, MESA Alum

As a first-generation student, I did not have a clue on how to be successful in college, let alone in a STEM-related field. When I graduated high school my reading, writing, and math skills were nowhere near college level. However, MESA did not look at what I lacked as a student. Instead, they saw potential that I did not know I had. Because of the support MESA staff and students gave me, I am now a senior at UC Davis studying Computational Cognitive Science.

- Luis Almendarez, Cognitive Science Engineer