2022 Student Leadership Conference

Overview

Oct 28-29 San Diego, CA
San Diego Marriott Mission Valley

The Student Leadership Conference (SLC) brings together engineering, computer science and other STEM undergraduate students with industry professionals to develop the next generation of diverse leaders. These MESA leaders are the new face of STEM. The conference is an opportunity for STEM students to develop “soft skills” necessary to successfully transition from college to professional careers.

2022 COVID PROTOCOLS

While we plan to host the conference in-person, MESA will continue to adhere to local and state COVID-related health guidelines, which could change unexpectedly. We will also offer workshops virtually to allow more MESA students to benefit from the programming. The following requirements will be in place for the in-person event for all students and guests:

◦All attendees required to be vaccinated

◦At this time, masks are not required indoors (may change, subject to local regulations)

◦Sanitizing stations, hand sanitizer, masks made available

During the conference students will:

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Explore career opportunities with corporate recruiting panels

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Gain career skills with leadership sessions and workshops

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Expand professional networks with MESA alumni panels

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Develop interviewing skills with virtual mock interviews

Industry partners provide webinars, panels, and participate in a Career Fair and Networking Expo during which they may identify candidates for internships and full time STEM positions.

Attendance

SLC Attendance

The conference is an invite-only event for community colleges and university students.

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MESA computer science, engineering and other STEM undergraduate students

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More than 30 MESA center directors from throughout the state

Some workshops will be offered virtually through MESA’s exclusive community in the Untapped recruitment platform. More details coming soon.

Highlights

Conference Highlights

Workshops & Webinars

Students attend a series of pre conference webinars and on site workshops focused on developing emotional inteligence and leadership skills and its importance. See the conference agenda for this year’s content.

Team Challenge

Student participants are grouped into teams and given a project assignment to complete by the end of the conference. Each project will be reviewed and judged by industry representatives. Prizes are awarded to the top-scoring project teams.

Career Fair and Networking Session

Designed as a vehicle for industry, graduate schools and government agencies to discuss opportunities with current undergraduates.

Ray Landis Impact Award

This distinguished honor is bestowed upon a visionary in diversity and STEM education. At the 2018 MESA Student Leadership Conference, we commemorated the life and impact of Ray Landis with the inaagural award given to Rick Ainsworth.

Understanding Dr. Landis’ life and work is to understand a blueprint for how to have impact. His legacy is all around us: from the 250,000 MESA alumni to the over 45 MESA college program sites to the over 7,000 college students currently enrolled in MESA programs here in California alone. We believe, however, that it is critically important for us to preserve his legacy by continuing to tell the story of his life and his work.