The Child Development and Education Program at San Diego Mesa College offers a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience to help shape the next generation of educators and childcare professionals.
Second-year student Zora Williams is using her voice to bring more mental health and nutrition programming to San Diego Mesa College. Williams was elected president of the college’s Associated Students (AS) for the 2024-2025 academic year and serves as the college’s student representative on the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees.
Sometimes, you hear a story that makes you want to know more. Kevin Gonzalez has such a story. The last time this story was updated, San Diego Mesa College student Kevin Gonzalez was a 15 year-old heading off to Massachusetts to complete his high school education. In the ensuing years, he has travelled to the other side of the world, built houses, but remained in close contact with his Mesa College professors and connections he made while on campus.
The San Diego Community College District has appointed four new student trustees for the upcoming academic year. Dalia Ramirez (San Diego City College), Zora Williams (San Diego Mesa College), Hailey Hua (San Diego Miramar College), and Haydee Zuniga (San Diego College of Continuing Education), will be sworn in during the June 20 SDCCD Board of Trustees meeting.
August 5, 2020
On July 23, 2020, San Diego Mesa College’s Teacher Education Pathways Program was honored with a League for Innovation’s 2019-2020 Innovation of the Year Award. The Mesa Teacher Education Program (Program) and the recognition via this award, positions Mesa as one of the premiere colleges for aspiring teachers, and prepares the next generation of educators to bring necessary racial and gender diversity to the current teacher work force. The Program was awarded, in part, not only because of the focus on diversity, but because it also offers free tutoring, smaller classes, stipends and a direct path to earning a Bachelor’s degree - all to help ensure student success.
With a shortage of bilingual Spanish/English, male and STEM teachers in California elementary and middle schools and across the nation, Mesa launched the Program, creating a pathway for aspiring teachers from diverse backgrounds, including Latinx/Chicanx/Hispanic, to gain employment in K-12 schools in San Diego. The goal is to close diversity and gender gaps for many students who lack the benefits of having a culturally responsive education taught by teachers who are representative of the students.
“We want to bring teachers to the classroom who come from the community and who mirror the community,” said Mesa College Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Isabel O’Connor.
The Program is currently accepting students for Fall 2020, and the comprehensive two-year curriculum provides opportunities for student success and educational equity by offering two pathways: (1) the DEBER Scholars Program and (2) the STEM Teacher Education Program.
Through the DEBER Scholars Program, bilingual Spanish/English Latinx students are prepared to teach in school districts throughout San Diego County. In Spanish, deber is a “duty”; it means a responsibility and desire to serve one’s community. These scholars are encouraged to transfer into San Diego State University’s bilingual credential program, through a partnership with SDSU and their Teacher Education School.
The STEM Teacher Education Program provides a pathway for Mesa students to become STEM middle school and high school teachers, and likewise, scaffolds their success by offering support and transfer partnerships to four-year institutions, including San Diego State University and National University, to complete low- to no-cost degrees.
One of the goals of the Program is for young students to see their own identities and cultures reflected in their classroom instructors. Returning to teach in their local communities, the linguistically and culturally diverse graduates of the Program will set the tone for new students’ success – helping to build efficacy in their identities and capabilities, and inspiring motivation for life-long learning in a new generation.
Students can enroll in the Mesa Teacher Education Program as early as high school, with the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment at Mesa, or take classes during their first year in college. To learn more about Mesa’s Teacher Education programs and application criteria, please visit the department website.
Established over 35 years ago, the League’s Innovation of the Year Award was devised as a way to recognize significant innovations at community colleges that reflect significant achievements. The award honors faculty, staff, and administrators who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community.
About Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive two-year college serving over 30,000 students per year. Among the largest community colleges in California, Mesa offers 196 associate degree and certificate programs and is among 15 California community colleges offering a four-year bachelor’s degree. Mesa ranks as San Diego’s top transfer institution with offerings that include fine art and music, language and humanities, math and science, as well as career education degrees in allied health fields, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), business, multimedia, hospitality, culinary arts, fashion, architecture, and interior design. Mesa College’s small classes, award-winning faculty, and reputation for quality offer an unparalleled academic experience. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Mesa College strives to be the Leading College of Equity and Excellence and is committed to the success of all students, including underrepresented students, and more than 4,000 veterans and their families.
Find San Diego Mesa College on Social Media:
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And download the iMesa app for free!
Tags: equity, Teacher Education, Teacher Education Pathways Program, STEM Teacher Education Program, Hispanic Serving Institutions, DEBER Program, STEM, League for Innovation, 2019-2020 Innovation of the Year Award
Jennifer Nichols Kearns
Director of Communications
jnkearns@sdccd.edu
(619) 388-2759
The Child Development and Education Program at San Diego Mesa College offers a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience to help shape the next generation of educators and childcare professionals.
SAN DIEGO, CA (MAY 16, 2024) — National University (NU), — a distinguished nonprofit Minority Serving Institution that serves more than 130,000 learners annually through its degree and professional training programs and San Diego Mesa College (Mesa) — one of the largest community colleges in California, serving 20,000 students per year and offering over 200 associate degree and certificate programs today announce a renewed educational partnership to further advance a higher educational commitment to increase educational attainment opportunities for nontraditional, working and military students in San Diego.
NASA has selected 40 undergraduate students for the first year of its Europa ICONS (Inspiring Clipper: Opportunities for Next-generation Scientists) internship program, supporting the agency’s Europa Clipper mission. Europa ICONS matches students with mentors from the mission’s science team for a 10-week program to conduct original scientific research on topics related to the mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa.
