California MESA

Innovations in American Government

MESA was named in 2001 as one of the five most innovative public programs in the nation. MESA received this honor for its ability to forge partnerships with all segments of the education pipeline (K-12, community college and four-year institutions), industry, parents and the broader community. Through these partnerships, MESA is able to assist educationally disadvantaged students attain academic achievement in science, engineering and math.

MESA was selected for this award by Innovations in American Government, a project of the Ford Foundation, the JFK School of Government at Harvard University, and the Council for Excellence in Government.

Governor Gray Davis nominated MESA for the award and MESA was the only California winner for 2001. The winners were selected from over 1,200 programs that had been nominated across the country. MESA was chosen by a national selection committee that included former presidential advisor David Gergen, former Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp, former US Representative Lee Hamilton, and other nationally recognized public policy makers.

Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM)

MESA was honored in 2000 as one of the nation’s top ten programs to mentor students from groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. PAESMEM, administered on behalf of the White House by the National Science Foundation, identifies outstanding efforts that can be modeled throughout the country as ways to develop the nation's human resources in these fields. Nominated programs were judged on intellectual merit, broadness of impact, integration of research and education, and diversity.

Other Recognition Earned by MESA

MESA was featured in a half-hour national PBS documentary on the current and future status of innovation in the United States. The Innovators: Designing the Future, prominently featured MESA as a solution to developing the next generation of innovative engineers and scientists. (2007)

MESA was named by Bayer Corporation as one of 21 exemplary programs from across the country that has been proven to help K-12 students, especially minorities and girls, participate and achieve in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). (2007)

MESA was selected by the California Campaign for College Opportunity (CCO) as one of 15 exemplary statewide programs that improve college access. The programs were selected for their quality, innovation, effective use of resources, and example of outstanding working solutions for policymakers and education leaders. (2007)

MESA was selected by Hewlett-Packard to serve as the model for its national project to establish community college programs in support of underrepresented minority students so they would excel in math and science, transfer to four-year institutions, and graduate with baccalaureate degrees in engineering and computer science. The HP Diversity in Engineering (DiVE) grant established MESA community college programs in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. Since then, the program has expanded to New Mexico and Texas. (2004)

National award, outstanding pre-college program, National Association of Minority Engineering Program Administrators (NAMEPA), 2001.

National award, outstanding partnership to build minority student success in mathematics, science and engineering, Quality Education for Minorities (QEM), 2001.

Commendation, California Assembly Representative Sally Havice, 2001.

Commendation, California State Senator Hilda Solís, 1996.

Commendation, California Assembly Representative Robert Campbell, 1996.

Commendation, California Assembly Representative Teresa Hughes, 1990.

Commendation, California Lieutenant Governor Leo McCarthy, 1990.