FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2010
Danielle McNamara
 (510) 987-0230

Press Release

 

A nationally acclaimed education program is celebrating 40 years of preparing California students to become the scientists and engineers of the future.

 

More than 240 MESA teachers from around the state will join to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA). MESA has been honored by the White House, the California legislature, the Ford Foundation and the Bayer Foundation.

 

Education and industry supporters will also attend the event, which is sponsored by Symantec.

 

The reception will precede a three-day training conference for the math and science teachers, most of whom serve students at low performing schools.

 

MESA founders Beth Cobb O’Neil, Bob Finnell, Mary Perry Smith, Bill Somerville and Bill Somerton will be honored. Karl Pister, Chancellor Emeritus of UC Santa Cruz will receive an Outstanding Dean Award; Ray Landis, Dean Emeritus of CSU LA, College of Engineering will receive the MESA Engineering Program Founder Award and Alan Brown, former director of engineering at Lockheed will be presented with the Outstanding Volunteer Award.

 

MESA, an academic preparation program that serves educationally disadvantaged students, is an awarding winning program with a model that works.

 

The first MESA class was established in 1970 in Mary Perry Smith’s math class of 25 students at Oakland Technical High School. Today, MESA serves more than 20,000 students at elementary, middle and high schools, community colleges and colleges and universities across California. The MESA model has been adopted in 14 states.

 

When: Thursday, July 29, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Blackhawk Automotive Museum, 3750 Blackhawk Circle Plaza, Danville, CA
What: MESA 40th Anniversary Reception

 

For more information about MESA please visit https://live-mesaucop.pantheonsite.io.