The Quarter Century Club: 25 Years of Industry Commitment to MESA

Editor’s note: MESA is proud to honor the companies that have supported the program for 25 years or more with the first of a series of articles. This article focuses on HP (formerly Hewlett-Packard) and SBC (formerly Pacific Telephone), whose top-ranking national executives were directly involved in establishing the original MESA Industry Advisory Board.

SBC

“ At SBC, our employees reflect the diversity of the communities we
serve,” said Chuck Smith, President and CEO of SBC West. “The MESA program provides us graduates from a variety of backgrounds who possess the skills to meet the demands of our competitive marketplace. We are proud to support MESA because of its effectiveness in training the workforce that is needed for the 21st century economy.” The company has supported MESA through decades of change, including transformation of the company from Pacific Telephone to Pacific Telesis to Pacific Bell, and, finally, SBC.

Highlights of the company’s contributions include:

- 1978: Pacific Telephone’s Chairman Gordon Hough helps found of the MESA Statewide Industry Advisory Board.
- 1979: Pacific Telephone links every MESA center with a local company liaison to provide field trips, speakers, summer jobs, volunteer and in-kind donations.
- 1986: Pacific Telesis Foundation awards a $240,000 student scholarship grant to the MESA Engineering Program. The same year, Pacific Bell commits 40 corporate managers’ time to work with MESA programs statewide.
- 1989: Pacific Telesis scholarships for MESA college students top $1 million. The same year, Pacific Bell steps up its participation in MESA’s loaned executive program.
- 1999: Pacific Bell sponsors eight MESA Day Academies throughout the state.
- 1995: Pacific Telesis Foundation scholarship and program grants reach the $3 million mark.
- 2005: A record 268 SBC employees volunteer at local MESA centers statewide (see Newsbriefs).

HP

“ HP has supported MESA almost since the program began, and
MESA continues to play a role in the company’s overall strategy of increasing college access for educationally disadvantaged students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science,” said Bess Stephens, HP vice president of Philanthropy and Education and former member of the MESA Board of Directors. “The investment HP has made in MESA continues to yield a significant return with the academic development of tomorrow’s engineers and technology professionals.”

- 1977: Hewlett Foundation grant allows MESA to expand statewide.
- 1978: David Packard helps found the MESA Statewide Industry Advisory Board.
- 1979: Hewlett Foundation’s $100,000 challenge grant allows program expansion. HP helps establish Santa Rosa MESA program.
- 1980s: Loaned executives, financial and in-kind resources help grow the program.
- 1991: An HP donation equips 18 MESA pre-college centers with state-of-the-art computers.
- 1997: HP funds MESA expansion, K–12 intervention and HP Scholars programs at centers including UCLA and San Jose State University. The same year, CEO Lewis Platt keynotes MESA Schools Program awards banquet at San Jose State University.
- 2001–03: HP Wireless Mobile Classroom grants awarded to 13 MESA community college programs.
- 2004: HP selects MESA as leading strategic global partner for its Diversity in Engineering initiative, providing $658,000 to pilot community college program in five states outside California.

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