MESA provides a variety of opportunities for STEM students to develop a STEM identity
and network and to transfer successfully to a four-year institution to earn their
bachelor's degree in STEM. Some impacts are:
Academics: Higher GPAs
MESA Student’s have on average higher college level GPAs (3.1) when compared to other
calculus based non-MESA STEM students (2.76). (Edmonds CC Office of Planning, Research,
and Assessment, Winter 2019)
Jacki Marine Biology at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
"MESA gave me a great place to study and make friends with other students who were
taking similar classes to me, and it gave me a place where I could seek advice about
what my next steps were, every step of the way. I learned so many valuable things
in MESA! "
Transfer Assistance
Angela, Computer Science at UW Bothell - MESA Alumni
"The MESA Director guided me when I was working on my personal statement for my UW
Bothell application. I think her suggestions really made my personal statement better
and that might be one reason why I got admitted in that university. She also answered
many questions I had about the transferring process, scholarships, internships and
most things people born and raised in the USA know, or people with parents who went
to college in the US know, but that for people like me (first generation and born
outside the US) are not clear at all."
Professional Development Opportunities
Lien, Industrial and Systems Engineering at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
“I learned a lot from the trip such as solving the problem for the clients, building
teamwork through the games around the forest, enhancing the discipline to live with
the community, being more confident to get acquainted with new people...etc.” - MESA
Student Leadership Retreat
Brenda, Informatics at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
"The NSBE Convention was an amazing experience. I had the opportunity to interact
with people who looked like me and understood the struggles of being a Black woman
in STEM. My favorite part of the Convention was the career fair. Very many companies
including Amazon reached out and asked me to apply for internships. They even followed
up with webinars preparing us for technical interviews. I am ready for the next phase
of my life because NSBE prepared me." - National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
National Convention
MESA Events
Beatrix, Computer Science at UW - MESA Alumni
"The STEM demonstration of the wind tunnel was engaging and watching the instructors
do tricks was jaw-dropping. Nothing beat the literal flying though; that was crazy!"
- MESA Indoor Skydiving at iFLY
Asmaa, Pre-medicine - MESA Student
"I found the UW Multicultural & Native Transfer Day to be very beneficial as well
as a fun experience. It gave me the opportunity to explore different departments and
be introduced to many new people. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested
in applying to UW." - UW Multicultural & Native Transfer Day
MESA Student Center
Tina Pure Mathematics at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
"My favorite thing about the MESA Student Center is that it feels like a home. It
is where I was able to find another family who care about and supports me".
