“If I hadn’t been brought to MESA, my story at school ends the day that I couldn't get out of bed because everything was just to much for me… and that’s just true…you guys were just there. It would have been, oh, I guess I tried, small footnote of my life, and now I get to write a whole new chapter.”
MESA Alumni
“I am not sure where I would be if it wasn’t for MESA. MESA has given me a community that not only cares about my academic success, but also all the other aspects of my life. Because of my involvement in MESA, I have been exposed to many empowering opportunities such as joining the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and attending the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Conference."
Brenda - Informatics at UW Seattle
Faculty and Staff Resources
We appreciate faculty's and staff's support in helping students get connected to MESA. Below are some resources for you to get connected to MESA and to connect students to MESA.
- What does the program look like now that we are virtual?
- What impact does MESA have on students?
- MESA Blurb for Syllabus, Canvas, Emails, etc.
- MESA Class Visits
- MESA Flyers - PDF
- How can I learn about MESA events?
- MESA and RiSE - How are the programs different?
- What are other ways can I support MESA?
- Can I donate to MESA?
- Common Questions
1. What does the program look like now that we are virtual?
Due to COVID-19, we have moved our program online. We still offer almost all of our services virtually (we are not doing any in person events, travel, etc.) such as tutoring and advising in the Virtual MESA Student Center, events, attending virtual conferences, offering scholarships, the MESA Lending Library, and more!
2. What impact does MESA have on students?
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
Tina
Pure Mathematics at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
"As a first generation, low-income, woman of color in STEM who recently immigrated to the U.S., I needed help navigating the U.S. college system. MESA gave me all the tools I needed to explore opportunities and become successful. MESA assisted me with getting my Associate of Science degree and transferring to the University of Washington-Seattle, where I now pursue my education in pure Mathematics. MESA thrives for student success and provides you any support you need to build your own future."
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."
MESA Scholarships
Vanessa
Computer Science at UW Seattle - MESA Alumni
"The MESA scholarship has allowed me to spend more time studying and more time participating in club events. Before the MESA scholarship I had to work as much as possible outside of class which kept me from improving my level of involvement here at EDCC. In turn, I have also been able to network with more students in similar fields of study which has helped me define my path more clearly."
Bethlehem
Bioengineering at OSU - MESA Alumni
"If it wasn't from the financial support (MESA scholarship) and the advising from the MESA Director, I wouldn't have transferred to OSU by fall. The weekly updates, with scholarship, internships and events have helped me discover many useful resources."
Professional Development
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 Seattle - 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 Alumni
"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
Liz
Engineering - MESA Student
"The MESA Student Center has been a gift in my times of need. There are always snacks available to MESA students, either for a treat between classes or just some good mood food to kick the stress away. I know I've gone there for when I didn't have much food at home and couldn't pack lunch. It's a great space to meet with friends and have a community."
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".
3. MESA Information for Syllabus, Canvas, Emails, etc.
MESA - Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement
MESA is a STEM student support program that is dedicated to creating opportunities for students to develop into competitive STEM transfer students. MESA focuses on initiatives to improve diversity and retention of historically underrepresented students in STEM, including African American, Latinx/Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and women students. MESA support includes - scholarships, internships, advising, field trips, specialized tutoring, access to the MESA Student Center, workshops for transfer assistance, community events, and much more. To apply visit www.edcc.edu/mesa. For more information, email mesa@edmonds.edu.
4. MESA Class Visits
If you would like a MESA staff member to come to your class to talk about MESA, the benefits of joining, how to join, etc., email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu. MESA class visits are usually done with RiSE and take less than 5 minutes.
5. MESA Flyer PDF
- Informational MESA Flyer for Students 1x1
- Informational MESA Flyer for Students 4x4
- General MESA Flyer
- How to Tell Students About MESA Flyer
Please email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.eduif you would like to receive physical copies of some MESA flyers.
6. How can I learn about MESA events?
You can view the Edmonds College MESA Calendar below and email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu.
Click the plus sign in the bottom right hand corner of the calendar to add to your calender list.
7. MESA and RiSE - How are the programs different?
MESA - Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement
MESA focuses on initiatives to improve diversity and retention of underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, including African American, Latinx/Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and women students.
RiSE - Relationships in STEM Education
RiSE project’s goals are to help Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) students achieve their academic and career goals and to increase the number of students successfully earning degrees in STEM fields.
When generally looking at the programs, you might wonder: How are the programs different? Why do we have two STEM programs? MESA and RiSE are both STEM student support programs, but with different missions (listed above), which ultimately affects the programming, events, resources, etc. MESA’s mission is to increase diversity and retention of underrepresented students in STEM, therefore we address challenges underrepresented students face in their educational and career development through our programming. Our missions drive programing from the inside out, making the programs different and fulfilling different needs. MESA is at Edmonds College because there are disparities in student enrollment, transfer rates, and completion of STEM degrees among underrepresented students.
8. What are ways can I support MESA?
Tell People About MESA
Telling people (students, faculty, staff, and community members) about MESA is one of the most impactful ways you can support MESA. Due to systemic oppression and barriers, many underrepresented students do not have access to or learn about opportunities on campus. By spreading the word, more students will hear about the program and be able to use the support the program provides. Please email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu if you would like to receive physical copies of some MESA flyers.
Class Visits
Request for a MESA staff member to come to your class, event, or training to talk about MESA. Email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu for more information.
Virtual Backgrounds
Use a MESA Virtual background on Zoom.
Talk to Students About MESA Multiple Times
Talk to your students about MESA multiple times throughout the quarter. Many students said they heard about MESA multiple times before they decided to apply, so keep encouraging them to apply!
Send Opportunities to mesa@edmonds.edu
When you hear about an opportunity that can be valuable for MESA students, you can send information about the opportunity to the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu.
Donate to MESA Scholarships
Donations for MESA Scholarships or MESA events can be made through the Edmonds College Foundation. Annual deductions can be made from paychecks and every amount makes a difference (even $10 a month). To learn more, go to the MESA Donation page.
Get Involved
If you would like to get involved with MESA, please email the MESA Director at mesa@edmonds.edu.
9. Can I donate to MESA?
Yes, donations for MESA Scholarships or MESA events can be made through the Edmonds College Foundation. Annual deductions can be made from paychecks and every amount makes a difference (even $10). To learn more, go to the MESA Donation page.