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.
July 3, 2024
San Diego Mesa College recently introduced a Wellness Vending Machine stocked with reduced cost and free essential items. The vending machine, created by San Diego company Dotstash, brings equity and affordability in the health space to students and the greater Mesa College community.
The installation, located on the 4th floor of the campus Student Services Center, is part of The Wellness Vending Machine Pilot Program (Assembly Bill 2482), which provided a five-year grant to several Cal State Universities, as well as 18 California Community Colleges including Mesa College and its sister school, San Diego City College. The $15,000 grant includes the cost of the machine and funds to subsidize products in the machine.
“This new initiative underscores Mesa College’s commitment to supporting the well-being of our students and campus community,” said Mesa College President Ashanti T. Hands. “The Wellness Vending Machine removes as many barriers as possible to allow for greater access to a range of healthcare products.”
The vending machine dispenses such over-the-counter items as menstrual products, contraceptives, the “morning-after pill”, pain relievers, and pregnancy tests. Those items that come with a cost will be listed at lower-than-retail prices.
Administrators of the machine from both Dotstash and Mesa College’s Student Health
Services office will stock the machine based on usage data and confidential student
surveys. Real-time data provides alerts when inventory is running low so that re-stocking
can occur in a timely manner.
The vending machine offers users a large touch-screen menu that has a color image of each available item. Where appropriate, the machine also engages users with health information and medication education on the dispensed items.
“While we work to increase access to much needed health and wellness items, we also want to do so thoughtfully,” said Dotstash Founder and CEO Mona Powell. “We also highly encourage individuals to speak with their health care provider and/or access Student Health Services to discuss any questions or concerns.”
Several of the items stocked in the vending machine, such as condoms, lubricants, and tampons, are of better quality than the free items offered outside Student Health Services on the 2nd floor of the Student Services Center.
As part of the Campus Opioid Safety Act, there are future plans to have a free Narcan dispenser next to the Wellness Vending Machine, whereas currently it is only available from the Student Health Services department.
“Everyone who has seen it so far has been really excited,” said Nurse Practitioner and Mesa College faculty member Laura Milligan, who helped collaborate with Dotstash on the machine.
Tags: Basic Needs, Student Health Services, Health, Wellness
Leslie Stump
Acting Public Information Officer
lstump@sdccd.edu
619-388-2759
San Diego Mesa College recently introduced a Wellness Vending Machine stocked with reduced cost and free essential items. The vending machine, created by San Diego company Dotstash, brings equity and affordability in the health space to students and the greater Mesa College community.
San Diego California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office declared the week of Oct 16 to Oct 20, “DACA Advocacy Week”. In support of this, San Diego Mesa College held various events on campus throughout the week that provided information, resources, workshops and materials for all students.
Death Experience – an annual campus event organized by Student Health Services that aims to prevent distracted, drugged and drunk driving – returned to San Diego Mesa College on Wednesday, March 22 in the LRC Quad.
