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 10, 2023
Dr. Nellie Tran is a published San Diego State University professor, and a Vietnamese-American research scientist who is passionate about empowering underserved student populations to pursue higher education. Dr. Tran received her B.A. in psychology from UCLA after attending Mesa College and Miramar College. Dr. Tran, like many students, chose community college as a stepping stone to further her education, which allowed her to build her identity while remaining in a small community.
The transition from high school to college is challenging for many students, which is why it is vital for teachers to provide support to their students.
“I learned that professors have a lot of power, you know, power to create change, power to allow students to chase a dream,” Dr. Tran said recalling a conversation between her professors during her time in community college.
According to a statewide survey, mental health was one of the most essential conditions in terms of coming back to college post pandemic. Dr. Tran believes that greater assistance should be provided for underserved students who have struggled with the “increase in hate and violence against AAPI communities.” This hate stems from the perception that most AAPI individuals are not seen as Americans, but foreigners. In turn they spend their most crucial years trying to fit in, rather than embracing their individuality.
When asked how educators can show support for their AAPI students, Dr. Tran shares that access to information needs to be a priority. When teachers speak to their students are they speaking in a way that people whose 1st language is not English can understand? In AAPI communities, elders and educators are held to a high regard, so they hold great power in the classrooms to change the course of a student’s future.
San Diego Mesa College has already begun the process of moving towards the right direction for AAPI communities by securing a $1.5 million grant that will provide opportunities to improve academic attainment of AAPI, Native American, and low-income students. San Diego Mesa College takes pride in its official designation as an AANAPISI by the United States Department of Education. To learn more about Mesa College support of our AAPI students, visit https://www.sdmesa.edu/about-mesa/aanapisi/index.shtml
When asked for advice for AAPI community college students, Dr. Tran encourages students to discover their goals and allow professors to act as a resource and mentor in achieving their goals. And understand that you are capable of anything you put your mind to, especially with the support of those who want to see you succeed.
The content of this article has been sourced with permission from the California Community Colleges Podcast. To explore more on this topic, you can listen to the podcast episode at https://soundcloud.com/user-630229393/aapi-heritage-month-and-the-importance-of-mental-health-awareness-at-california-community-colleges.
Tags: AAPI, San Diego Community College District, AANAPISI
Jennifer Nichols Kearns
Director of Communications
jnkearns@sdccd.edu
(619) 388-2759
Five students at San Diego City, San Diego Mesa and San Diego Miramar colleges have been named as semifinalists for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship that provides a tuition-free pathway to a four-year degree at a college or university of their choice.
Dr. Nellie Tran, a published professor at San Diego State University and a Vietnamese-American research scientist, is dedicated to empowering underserved student populations in their pursuit of higher education.
San Diego, CA ---- During the month of March, San Diego Mesa College proudly celebrates Women’s History Month, with a complete schedule of events, starting with “Careering While Asian II: Women’s History Month Edition”, a panel event will incorporate womxn-asian and womxn-pacific islander identifying persons from Mesa College, alongside professionals from other industries in San Diego, to bring their lived experiences as Asian and Pacific Islander womxn onto campus. They will share their lived experiences and strategies for how they have thrived in predominantly white industries. The panel will be on Monday, March 6, from 11:10am – 12:35pm in Mesa Commons room 211.
