STEM Center Membership Day is a Success

The STEM Center Membership Day held on Sept. 12 was a great success, with hundreds of new students interested in studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics attending.

The event was designed to help students learn more about programs and resources for STEM majors. More than 200 students have now signed up to become members of the STEM Center.

"This was a fantastic way for us to engage with our students and educate them about the academic and support services available to them while they attend Cañada," said Cathy Lipe, Director of the MESA Program.

Lipe said the STEM Center team is now going through the student data to determine which students are eligible for various programs and services and they are organizing the students into cohorts to be supported by Retention Specialists, Chris Woo and Melissa Ibarra, and STEM Counselor Will Reyes.

Woo will work directly with a cohort of students who are new to campus while Ibarra will work with students in their final year. "In addition, we will work in focused ways with groups of students are are eligible for the NSF Scholarships or California Connects Program but who have not yet received those resources," Lipe said.

Lipe said many of the faculty members in the Science & Technology Division continue to offer their office hours in the STEM Center. "It's really a hub of activity for our students," she said. "They talk to faculty during office hours, participate in study groups, and hold club meetings here."