The MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) Community College Program (MCCP) provides academic and social support needed to succeed in science and math, and to transfer to four-year institutions as majors in those fields. A major MCCP initiative is to develop a strong peer Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) network for its students. As most community college students are commuters (with many holding jobs while attending school and/or shouldering significant family responsibilities), they lack the benefit of the informal connections developed by full-time students residing on campus while attending four-year institutions. While important to all majors, these contacts play a particularly crucial role for students majoring in STEM fields. The development of an alternative network allows MCCP students to obtain the needed support from fellow STEM majors who come from similar backgrounds and face equally demanding challenges. MCCP’s peer networks disseminate information about the best ways to study, how to succeed in difficult classes and how to approach complicated coursework.
Institution:
University of California
Academic Level:
Community College
Issue Area:
Transfer
Year:
2008
Designation:
Examples of Excelencia
Designation:
Finalist
Key Personnel:
Muniz-Torres, Juanita
Address:
University of California
Address 2:
300 Lakeside Drive
City:
Oakland
State:
CA
Zip:
94612 Website:
Goal/Mission:
Latinos comprise nearly 50% of the students served by MCCP and by MESA. Most MESA students come from underperforming schools. Most Latino MESA students come from immigrant households and are the first in their families to attend college.
Outcome:
The MESA Community College Program helps educationally disadvantaged community college students succeed in STEM studies and transfer to four-year institutions as math-based majors. In 2006-07 (the academic year with the latest compiled data), 467 MCCP students transferred to four-year institutions. Of these students, 95% transferred as majors in STEM fields. Forty-five percent transferred to California State University; 47% transferred to the University of California; and 6% transferred to independent California or out-of-state universities and colleges. Latinos comprised 41% of all transfers.
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