September 2009
Q: When were you involved in MESA and how did you hear about it?
A: I was involved with MESA from 1994 thru 1996 while attending Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA. Previously I had not heard about it at the high school level (I attended Santa Cruz high school which did not have the MESA program), so I studied on my own either in the cafeteria or the library. During one of the times I was in the cafeteria I heard about from other students already involved with MESA so I decided it had to be better than the noisy cafeteria.
Q: How did MESA help you at Cabrillo? Was there something MESA offered that particularly helped you with your classes or to transfer?
A: MESA helped my tremendously. Not only did it give me a quiet place to study but it helped by offering tutors (which I later became one), computer access, peep to peer networking, student support for each other provided a great way to learn studying techniques, time management, and inter personal skills. I was able to stay on track by the support it provided and it was an environment full of other students just as excited about engineering as I was, making learning easier and fun.
Q: Where did you transfer to? What was your major?
A: I transferred to Cal Poly SLO. I majored in aerospace engineering with a concentration in orbital mechanics. Go Mustangs!
Q: What do you do at Lockheed?
A: I am a systems engineer working on the electrical power subsystem of a satellite program.
Q: What advice do you give students in math, science or engineering fields?
A: My best advice to students would be to simply persevere. Whenever times get difficult and tough (which they will), to not give up and just push through it. When you don't understand something (and there'll be plenty of that), seek help. The answer might only be a question or two away but the answers will not find you, you have to actively seem them out. You'll learn something new and feel like you accomplished something in doing so.
Another bit of advice it to interact and study with different people. Something many engineering students often do is study on their own or with a close group of friends, but more often than not our friends are not in our major or may have just as much trouble with some things as we do, so you have to network with people you don't know to be able to learn and understand the material. This has the added benefit of developing strong interpersonal skills, which will help out in the long run as when you join the work force.
And my last piece of advice is to those that are on their way to college for the first time in their family history, and that's to be unafraid, proud, and fearless. You will be facing many challenges that you don't have anyone to ask for their experience on. From taking classes no one in your family can offer help with, to filling out complicated forms for the first time that seem daunting, to leaving home and being on your own at a young age. Be unafraid to ask your local MESA office for a contact of one of their alumni. Contact them and chances are they can help answer your questions or share their experiences to put you at ease that you're not the only one that's gone through this. Lots of us alumni have been through exactly what you're dealing with and going through and can and will offer you some form of help or advice to ease your transition. Be proud of yourself and all your accomplishments and build off of them. Lastly be fearless of the scope and reach of your goals and don't settle for anything other than success.
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