San Diego, CA. - On Thursday, August 31, 2023, the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery will host a reception for The Resistance of the Echo & La Eco-Resistencia: a multimedia installation by artist Francisco Eme. This multimedia installation is an urban ecology study focusing on the biological dynamics of a canyon situated in a suburb of San Diego. This work will be displayed through September 14th, in the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery.
At San Diego Mesa College, alumni stories are as extraordinary as the students themselves. Amongst these testimonies, Sandra Perez's journey stands out as evidence to resilience and commitment to creating a brighter future.
On Saturday, August 19, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., the San Diego Mesa College Softball team will host a Softball Clinic for local girls, ages 6-16, at all levels of experience. The Clinic will be run by coaches and players and will focus on both defensive and offensive skills. Additionally, the team will host and question and answer session, and focus on the importance of team building and comradery.
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:
Facebook.com: sandiegomesacollege
Twitter.com: sdmesacollege
Instagram.com: sdmesacollege
Youtube: youtube.com: sdmesacollege
Snapchat: sdmesacollege
LinkedIn: San Diego Mesa College
Prez Pam Luster: twitter.com: sdmesaprez
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
San Diego Mesa College student, Jason Compy, is expected to graduate Pre-med this spring majoring in Bio Chemistry. Jason hopes to attend USC, but has already been accepted to UCLA. So, he plans to become a Bruin or a Trojan this fall. With graduation around the corner, Jason reflects on the many obstacles he has overcome on his journey through life.
Sacramento, CA ---- This week, San Diego Mesa College Professor Dr. Veronica Gerace received the prestigious 2023 Regina Stanback Stroud Diversity Award from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC). As the official voice of California community college faculty in academic and professional matters, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) is committed to equity, student learning and student success. The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges acts to empower faculty to engage in local and statewide dialog and take action for continued improvement of teaching, learning, and faculty participation in governance.
San Diego City College, San Diego Mesa College, and San Diego Miramar College have been recognized as among the top 100 colleges in the country for enrollment of Hispanic/Latino students, according to a ranking by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine. Among two-year colleges across the United States, San Diego City College was ranked 35th, while Miramar College was ranked 68th. Mesa College was ranked 45th for four-year colleges and universities. The figures are based on enrollment during the 2020-21 academic year, using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Mesa is considered a 4-year college for data purposes because it offers a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management.
