A select group of seven Cañada College students recently
honed their leadership skills at a special invitation-only conference in
Sacramento for math-based majors. The event was sponsored by PG&E and six
other companies.
The Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)
Student Leadership Conference held last weekend offered extensive professional
and leadership development through direct interaction with industry mentors and
speakers. The hand-picked MESA students, all science, engineering, or math
majors, represented over 30 universities and community colleges from across the
state, including Cañada College.
Participating Cañada students were: Moises Bautista, Norman
Ettedgui, Juan Guevara, Jose Salgado, William Berrios, Curtis Carpentier and
Michael Nobida.
Students participated in mock interviews, connected with
industry representatives from seven national and California companies and heard
guest speakers such as former NASA astronaut Tammy Jernigan, who also led a
women in STEM panel discussion. California Public Utilities Commissioner Tim
Simon was named the 2012 MESA Champion for the commission’s longstanding
support of the program. Students also participated in a MESA Business Case
Challenge in which they presented a business solution to a panel of energy and
utility industry leaders.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) was a major
sponsor of the event. The company’s
$40,000 grant allowed
students from 20 Northern California campuses to attend. PG&E employees volunteered
their time to work closely with the students during the conference.
PG&E Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Bill
Harper encouraged students to continue in their educational pursuits and
awarded winners of the MESA Business Case Challenge. PG&E has supported
MESA since 1979 and was recognized its the extensive support in helping
educationally disadvantaged MESA students graduate in math-based fields.
Other sponsors included Edison International, Southern
California Gas Company, Vanir Construction Management, Inc., Lawrence Livermore
National Lab, San Diego Gas & Electric and the Sacramento Municipal
Utilities District.
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