To some it’s a way of achieving greatness, to others a sense of community, assistance and guidance.
On average, over 200 Yuba College students visit the center on a daily basis; from those who seek tutoring, to those who provide it. Generally praised for student affiliation and academic success; yet, the latest victim of economic misfortune.
MESA —Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement— provides educationally disadvantaged students the opportunity to navigate the ever-daunting academic system. Kristina Vannucci, Advisor, devotes her efforts to maintaining a functional program for the benefit of the students. In an interview, Vannucci stated the program offers students insight to the professional aspects of reality; an opportunity merely inaccessible to the underprivileged student.
Due to the ongoing economic crisis, and other political factors, Yuba College MESA became another educational program abandoned by the government. If the program is eliminated from Yuba College, students will not have the privilege of reaching out to career related professionals as before. How many students must be without necessary academic enrichment programs before government makes their own sacrifices, you might ask. For that may never be known, it must be known how advantageous these programs really are.
The MESA Center, room 701, remains open as of today, but Vannucci stressed the importance of an upcoming budget meeting. As for now the center shall remain open Monday through Friday, although, in early October Vannucci will only be on campus three days a week. In order for the program to remain effective for the students, tutors will be in charge of all duties the two days Vannucci is absent.
The MESA data and results for 2009-2010 academic year show that 100 percent of California community college students in the MESA program, transferring to universities, pursued a math or science major. Engineering major, Christian Ruiz, asserted, “MESA provides an environment conducive to learning. Being a part of MESA [enabled] me to meet professionals in my field of study.”
With the state funding retracted from the program, the students have begun to question the future. This doesn’t just affect the students, Yuba College, or the community, it affects the future of the above as a collective. The function of such a program provides the paving ground to a rewarding future; if schools continue to lose student guidance and assistance programs where will the future be led?
Aspiring photo-journalist; Seeking the next stories, in the greatest places. Always open minded to new ideas and great adventures. If there’s a people, a place and or thing, theres a story to be told. May the adventures of today, be the stories of tomorrow.
Good clean crisp read!! I hope during the upcoming budget cut meetings MESA gets to stick around the world needs quality engineers and MESA is a launching pad for many of those innovators.