Mesa College student veteran and prospective Health Information Technology graduate shares her experiences in higher education and giving back to the veteran community.
San Diego Mesa College has announced a new partnership with California LAW that will create a pathway for Mesa College students to complete their education and enter the legal profession. Cal LAW collaborates with community colleges to encourage diverse students enter the legal profession in order to represent the diverse population of the state of California. Mesa College will begin accepting interested students into its Pathway to Law School program in Spring 2021. Community colleges such as mesa partnering in the program were chosen due to their high commitment to equity, demonstrated by college leadership and resources that provide transformative educational experiences and support for students on a pathway to a law career.
Add writing a book to Professor Michael Harrison’s impressive list of activities and interests. Most people at Mesa College know him as a Spanish Professor, a member of the LGBTQ+ Task Force, the Co-Advisor for the Mesa Gender-Sexuality Alliance and even as a tenor with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus. In his “spare time” though, he is a comic book fan. Really. Since forever. And, he loves superheroes in comics. And Comic-Con. Just ask him. His face will light up.
Due to continuity of instruction and rigorous adherence to guidelines and safety practices, 100% of Mesa College’s 2020 graduating Dental students who were seeking employment, were able to get hired this past summer, despite the global pandemic. Even though Mesa’s Dental Assisting students were not allowed to return to campus until June 22, 2020, during that time frame, the Dental Assisting faculty continued to engage and instruct students in their laboratory courses, remotely, through videos, virtual simulations, case studies role playing and discussions.
August 16, 2016
Calvin Dixon left the U.S. Marine Corps in July 2014 and followed the path of approximately 10,000 other active and retired military members, he attended college in the San Diego Community College District. By August of that year, he was a full-time student at San Diego Mesa College. For good reason.
“I really enjoy the small class sizes, and every professor I’ve had has had open office hours so if you’re struggling you could just drop in and get all the help and support you need,” said Dixon, who is studying mechanical engineering and works part time as an aircraft mechanic at Naval Air Station North Island. “There are a lot of resources, and the large numbers of veterans help make you feel right at home.”
From Coast to Coast
Dixon enlisted in the Marine Corps out of high school in part to help fund his college education. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and Miramar as a C-130 aircraft mechanic during his more than five years with the Marine Corps and decided to remain in San Diego after he completed his service.
One of Mesa’s biggest draws was the district’s commitment to veterans and their success.
“I spend a lot of time at the Veterans Resource Center, and a lot of people I come across at the VRC transfer to some really good schools like Columbia, Stanford, Berkeley, some of the best schools in the country, and that shows me that Mesa is a wonderful college,” he said.
Not only that, but Mesa – along with City and Miramar colleges and San Diego Continuing Education – was named a Military Friendly school.
Branching Out
Dixon is looking at transferring to San Diego State University, the most popular destination for students transferring from the San Diego Community College District. Four district students – three from San Diego City College and one from San Diego Miramar College – were awarded a prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships worth up to $40,000 annually to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.
“I made a good decision coming here,” said Dixon.
Tags: Veterans, Featured Posts, Calvin Dixon, Veteran Affairs, Students in the News
Jennifer Nichols Kearns
Director of Communications
jnkearns@sdccd.edu
(619) 388-2759
Mesa College student veteran and prospective Health Information Technology graduate shares her experiences in higher education and giving back to the veteran community.
Military veterans at San Diego City and San Diego Mesa colleges got an early Veterans Day present with the announcement of $400,000 in new grants to bolster services at their campus Veterans Resource Centers.
San Diego Mesa College’s veteran community will celebrate students that are graduating and/or transferring during an inaugural Veterans Graduation Ceremony on Friday, May 19 at 11 a.m.
San Diego Mesa College has announced a new partnership with California LAW that will create a pathway for Mesa College students to complete their education and enter the legal profession. Cal LAW collaborates with community colleges to encourage diverse students enter the legal profession in order to represent the diverse population of the state of California. Mesa College will begin accepting interested students into its Pathway to Law School program in Spring 2021. Community colleges such as mesa partnering in the program were chosen due to their high commitment to equity, demonstrated by college leadership and resources that provide transformative educational experiences and support for students on a pathway to a law career.
Add writing a book to Professor Michael Harrison’s impressive list of activities and interests. Most people at Mesa College know him as a Spanish Professor, a member of the LGBTQ+ Task Force, the Co-Advisor for the Mesa Gender-Sexuality Alliance and even as a tenor with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus. In his “spare time” though, he is a comic book fan. Really. Since forever. And, he loves superheroes in comics. And Comic-Con. Just ask him. His face will light up.
Due to continuity of instruction and rigorous adherence to guidelines and safety practices, 100% of Mesa College’s 2020 graduating Dental students who were seeking employment, were able to get hired this past summer, despite the global pandemic. Even though Mesa’s Dental Assisting students were not allowed to return to campus until June 22, 2020, during that time frame, the Dental Assisting faculty continued to engage and instruct students in their laboratory courses, remotely, through videos, virtual simulations, case studies role playing and discussions.
