About
The MESA College Prep Program is part of MESA’s college and career prep engine that focuses on student achievement in science, technology, engineering and math. The college prep program sparks early interest in STEM by connecting classroom concepts to real-world practice and supports students on their STEM path through higher education.
• Ages: 11–18 years old
A grassroots effort that began with 25 students at Oakland Technical High School in 1970 has grown into an award-winning program that serves almost 25,000 middle school, high school, community college and university students throughout California each year. MESA serves over 350 middle and high schools, 40 community colleges and 13 universities in California, and the statewide office provides oversight and consistency in messaging and curriculum for 70 MESA centers throughout the state. MESA is stewarded by the University of California Office of the President and is described as an award-winning program.
The MESA College Prep Program is part of a larger pathway that also includes Community College and University level segments. MESA believes that all students have the potential to succeed, but not all students have access to the opportunities to succeed in STEM, and the program works to ensure students in California have access to mentoring, experiences, networks and other resources they need in order to earn degrees in calculus-based STEM fields and pursue careers in STEM. MESA students are more likely to be admitted to a University of California campus (80% vs. 67% for California students overall), and the top five degrees of MESA undergraduate students are Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering.
The program is supported by a leadership team that includes Thomas Ahn (Executive Director), Marvin Maldonado (Interim Deputy Director), Mindy Rieger (Director of Development), Marilyn Baker (Administrative Assistant), Justin Ilumin (Coordinator of Research Evaluation and Information Management), Sandy Jacoby (Administrative Assistant), Danielle McNamara (Strategic Communications and External Engagement), Katie Mills (Data Analyst), and Beatrice Prieto (College Prep Programs Lead). Governance and guidance also involve Ken Forward (MESA board chair), Dawn Carter (MESA board vice-chair), members of an Industry Advisory Board from organizations such as Sandia National Laboratories, Intel, Carollo Engineers, Strava, Terumo Neuro, the City of Santa Monica, Peraton, and Valz Legal, Inc., and representatives on an Intersegmental Steering Committee from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, California State University, University of California, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, and the California Department of Education.
Industry leaders partner with MESA, and each partnership is tailored to benefit individual companies while strengthening their workforce pipeline with STEM talent. Testimonials from former participants describe how MESA influenced their paths, including comments from professionals at Google, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, PG&E, and Kiewit.
Last updated June 30, 2026.
• Ages: 11–18 years old
A grassroots effort that began with 25 students at Oakland Technical High School in 1970 has grown into an award-winning program that serves almost 25,000 middle school, high school, community college and university students throughout California each year. MESA serves over 350 middle and high schools, 40 community colleges and 13 universities in California, and the statewide office provides oversight and consistency in messaging and curriculum for 70 MESA centers throughout the state. MESA is stewarded by the University of California Office of the President and is described as an award-winning program.
The MESA College Prep Program is part of a larger pathway that also includes Community College and University level segments. MESA believes that all students have the potential to succeed, but not all students have access to the opportunities to succeed in STEM, and the program works to ensure students in California have access to mentoring, experiences, networks and other resources they need in order to earn degrees in calculus-based STEM fields and pursue careers in STEM. MESA students are more likely to be admitted to a University of California campus (80% vs. 67% for California students overall), and the top five degrees of MESA undergraduate students are Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering.
The program is supported by a leadership team that includes Thomas Ahn (Executive Director), Marvin Maldonado (Interim Deputy Director), Mindy Rieger (Director of Development), Marilyn Baker (Administrative Assistant), Justin Ilumin (Coordinator of Research Evaluation and Information Management), Sandy Jacoby (Administrative Assistant), Danielle McNamara (Strategic Communications and External Engagement), Katie Mills (Data Analyst), and Beatrice Prieto (College Prep Programs Lead). Governance and guidance also involve Ken Forward (MESA board chair), Dawn Carter (MESA board vice-chair), members of an Industry Advisory Board from organizations such as Sandia National Laboratories, Intel, Carollo Engineers, Strava, Terumo Neuro, the City of Santa Monica, Peraton, and Valz Legal, Inc., and representatives on an Intersegmental Steering Committee from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, California State University, University of California, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, and the California Department of Education.
Industry leaders partner with MESA, and each partnership is tailored to benefit individual companies while strengthening their workforce pipeline with STEM talent. Testimonials from former participants describe how MESA influenced their paths, including comments from professionals at Google, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, PG&E, and Kiewit.
Last updated June 30, 2026.
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