Excerpt from San Diego City College MESA – A Learning Culture:
Taking STEM Education to a New Level (Summer 2017)
BEFORE MESA
My name is Maria Ascencion Globisch, née Lemus, and I am the daughter of Mexican immigrants. I grew up in a low-income community in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. My parents do not have a college degree, but they knew the value of an education, and they encouraged me to attend college. Throughout my K-12 education I knew that I wanted to attend college, and I tried my best in school, which allowed me to graduate from high school with high honors and many scholarships. However, as a first-generation student, I did not understand the challenges that I would face as a low-income, first- generation Latina in college… and then I found MESA.
WHAT THE MESA LEARNING CULTURE MEANS TO ME
MESA is power, and it will forever remain in my heart. I found MESA in the summer of 2009, when I started at San Diego City College. As a community college student, I was focused on the pre-requisite classes that I needed for transfer to a 4-year university. However, I did not know how to tackle these courses, and MESA provided me with the necessary study skills for approaching the learning, including the Big Picture Approach and BPR (bullet point reading), which helped me to succeed in the most difficult science and math courses at City College. In addition to the set of fantastic study skills, MESA provided valuable resources such as computers, printers, textbooks and tutors that are critical for college success. For me, MESA is power, family and a culture of success.
MY FUTURE
After joining MESA, I was able to successfully graduate from City College with an Associate of Arts degree in Chemistry. I continued my education at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and I took my MESA culture with me to successfully earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Following graduation from UCSD, I entered a Master’s program at Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden, where I earned a Master of Science degree in Biology, with an emphasis in Immunology and Microbiology. Today my academic goal is to obtain a Ph.D. degree in the biological sciences. My career goal is to become a science professor and to be at the forefront of biological research by contributing my knowledge to the scientific community and to young scientists.
MY ADVICE
I advise all current and future students to follow the MESA culture of success. Read the textbook or lectures in advance, ask questions during lectures, and be 100% focused on your education. Always keep the desire to learn, discipline yourself and have confidence in yourself. Don’t be afraid of bad days, tackle them. And always stay passionate in what you do, because passion for your career is what ultimately drives you to success.
Maria A. Globisch transferred from San Diego City College to the University of California San Diego, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. She also earned a Master’s degree in Biology, followed by a Ph.D. degree in Medical Science, from Uppsala University in Sweden. She is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in Molecular Precision Medicine at Uppsala University.