What is MESA?
MESA stands for
Mathematics
Engineering
Science
Achievement
What is MESA?
• MESA’s mission is “To prepare underrepresented
students for higher education and careers in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics.”
• “Underrepresented students” refers to groups of
people that make up a very small population of people
in the STEM fields.
• Those groups include African American,
Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander and
Women.
• However students of all ethnicities are welcome.
Why MESA?
Why MESA?
Why MESA?
History of MESA
• MESA started in California in 1970.
• Since its start, MESA has grown to multiple
states around the country, with multiple
centers in each state.
• MESA is currently in Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington.
History of MESA
• MESA came to the University of Washington in
1982.
• Washington MESA has 6 centers around the state;
Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Spokane, Tri-Cities
and First Nations.
• In 1984 Tacoma MESA was established.
• All centers are located at Universities.
• Tacoma MESA is the only center located at a
Private University (Pacific Lutheran University)
Tacoma MESA’s Programs
• We Have
– After school programs
– MESA classes
– MESA enriched classes
– Robotics classes
– Summer programs
– Saturday academies
– Tutoring sessions
– College preparation workshops
MESA Day
• Our MESA classes and after school programs design and build
projects for the purpose of competing at our annual MESA
Day.
• Every year we have around 400 students come to Pacific
Lutheran University to compete in various engineering
challenges.
• Projects like making a prosthetic arm, a wind turbine, a
popsicle stick bridge, a balsa wood glider, and others.
• The winners of the Prosthetic Arm get to move on to the State
MESA Day to compete for scholarships and the opportunity to
go to the National MESA Day.
Scholarships
• Every year MESA awards over $10,000 in scholarships to high
school seniors who have actively participated in MESA for
multiple years.
Tacoma MESA Staff
JR Nobles
June Ellis
Dr. Matthew Smith
Director
Family Engagement Coordinator
Faculty Sponsor
Leon Haskins
Nate Ward
Catalina Rodriguez
Education Coordinator
Science/Technology Coordinator
Office Manager
Dung Nguyen
Christine Ignacio
Program Assistant
Office Assistant
MESA is FREE
• MESA is free for every student!
• MESA is a Non-Profit Organization
that gets funding based on how many
students we serve.
• What we Need from you is for you to
fill out an AIF (Admission Information
Form)