Biology major Lali Gonzalez and mechanical engineering major LuisAngel Zepeda, spent a transformative weekend in San Francisco connecting with STEM leaders from across the state. Photo courtesy of Butte College

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (MPG) - Two Butte College MESA students, biology major Lali Gonzalez and mechanical engineering major LuisAngel Zepeda, spent a transformative weekend in San Francisco connecting with STEM leaders from across the state. Both were invited to attend the MESA Student Leadership Conference, an annual, statewide gathering designed to help students strengthen their professional, academic and leadership skills.

Held at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis, the invite-only conference brought together top engineering and computer science students from 46 community colleges, CSUs, UCs and private universities. Students worked directly with company executives, engineers and recruiters in workshops, small-group sessions and a career expo.

Over the course of the conference, Gonzalez and Zepeda collaborated with peers on a fast-paced innovation challenge: design a product or service — in roughly 30 hours — that advances one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This real-world design sprint required students to think critically, communicate effectively and work under pressure, mirroring the pace and expectations of the STEM industries they aspire to join.

In addition to the team challenge, students participated in leadership and communication workshops, engaged in small-group conversations with engineers and executives, and attended a company expo featuring top STEM employers. Many participants leave the conference with connections that lead to internships or full-time positions.

This year’s conference was supported by leading industry sponsors including Carollo Engineering, Keysight Technologies, Edison International, PG&E, Qualcomm, and Uber. Professionals from these organizations — and others — volunteered their time throughout the weekend to host workshops, advise student teams, and share career insights.

Butte College’s MESA program continues to provide life-changing opportunities like this to prepare students for successful transfer and careers in STEM fields. 

Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) has a 55-year history of changing the face of science, technology and engineering by developing a new generation of STEM leaders. Now with a network of more than 250,000 alumni, MESA fuels diversity by propelling historically underrepresented students toward STEM degrees and professional careers. Our students go on to be astronauts, educators, politicians and more.

Each year MESA serves over 20,000 students at the pre-college, community college and university levels across California. MESA bridges classroom learning with real-world applications, and employs rigorous academics, leadership preparation, a peer community and collaborative problem-solving training to produce highly skilled college graduates who meet 21st-century STEM workforce needs.