California MESA replicated
In over a dozen other sates

Because of its strong track record of success, California MESA serves as a model for similar MESA programs that now operate in over a dozen other states.

California MESA’s model for pre-college academic achievement can be found in hundreds of elementary, middle and senior high schools across Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Most of these programs, like California MESA, are headquartered at four-year universities and many provide intersegmental support for their students.

The pre-college programs offer hands-on activities to students to stimulate early interest in math and science, as well as provide ongoing intensive academic enrichment, organize parent involvement and draw in industry support. The programs, many of which have been operating for over 20 years, have collaborated for over a decade in an organization called MESA USA, dedicated to sharing best practices, supporting the expansion of MESA to other states, and sponsoring national engineering competitions.

California MESA’s community college program is the model for programs on 10 community college campuses in 7 states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Texas. Expansion of the community college model started in 2004 with seed money from HP, which wanted to replicate California’s highly successful model across the country. This initial funding, plus MESA’s ability to increase the number of transfer students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)) majors, has helped many campuses leverage additional monies. Interested educators, industry representatives, and legislators are now exploring state and federal STEM initiatives to consolidate and expand MESA.

Community college programs in three states recently received additional funding to expand their MESA services.

• The Georgia state legislature recently allocated $200,000 to expand MESA within that state’s community colleges. MESA programs currently operate at Darton College in Albany, Atlanta Metropolitan College in Atlanta, Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston, and South Georgia College in Clarkston.

• At Tallahassee Community College in Florida, the number of STEM graduates have tripled since MESA was established on that campus. As a result, MESA will expand this spring to a pilot program at Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale.

ast fall San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas, received a federal grant to establish a formal center, add more computers, office and reference areas and a meeting space for students.

# # #