Excerpt from San Diego City College MESA – A Learning Culture:
Taking STEM Education to a New Level (Summer 2017)
BEFORE MESA
I was a struggling high school student without much direction as to what I wanted to do in my life. I lacked the proper guidance, and I am a first-generation college student, which only made it more difficult to know how to achieve my goals, plus I lacked the grades and finances to apply to a university. I chose to enroll at City College with the goal of transferring to a university, and I took it upon myself to find a place that encouraged an attitude for achievement— that’s where the MESA program came in.
WHAT THE MESA LEARNING CULTURE MEANS TO ME
The MESA learning culture empowers students to overcome challenges and achieve their goals, while placing an emphasis on personal responsibility. It is up to each student to learn and apply the culture. MESA truly empowers you to take control of your learning and decide what kind of future you want. MESA teaches us to avoid the self-saboteur mindset and strive to be a Creator. Choosing to be a self-saboteur only keeps you from achieving your goals, and it hurts your future success. Instead, when faced with a roadblock, MESA Creators dust themselves off, seek ways to solve problems, and always keep fighting for their goals. The Creator mindset motivated me most to be fully committed to my goals and be my very best. I wouldn’t be where I am today without MESA, because without it I would not be nearly as prepared for life, as I feel now.
MY FUTURE
I transferred to the University of Southern California with a 3.8 GPA in Fall 2014, and I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in May 2017. I will begin my career as an Aeronautical Engineer in the Aerodynamics group of the Flight Sciences division at Northrop Grumman. My plan is to develop my career at Northrop Grumman and eventually transition to an executive role within corporate leadership. Years ago, I would have thought that this was so far out of reach for me, but the MESA program taught me that it is up to me to make this a reality, and I intend to do so. Working at a major aerospace corporation and building the aircraft and spacecraft of the future has always been a dream of mine, and I couldn’t have realized that dream without the help of the MESA program and our very own Corner Man (MESA Director Alvarez).
MY ADVICE
Higher education is best suited for those with passionate interest. You should have a fundamental interest in the subject matter before committing yourself fully to any major. College can be very demanding at times, but if your passion exists from the start, then no level of difficulty will prevent you from reaching your goal. It was not an easy process to earn my degree, but I knew it was what I wanted, and I didn’t rest until I achieved my goal. MESA taught me the importance of consistency and discipline to be able to always perform at a high-level, especially as the semester wears on and classes become more demanding. This was the most difficult thing for me to do, but by following the MESA culture, I was able to break old habits that were preventing me from realizing my full potential. Engineering requires discipline first and foremost, and it also requires mental toughness and constant practice. Another important factor for achieving your goals is the presence of a strong mentor. I highly recommend seeking advice from someone who has been in your same position. Mentors played a significant role in helping me to realize my goals. My final advice would be to take full advantage of all that MESA offers, and enjoy the achievements that will come from it. That’s what MESA Creators do!
Joel Gomez transferred from San Diego City College (SDCC) to the University of Southern California, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. He is currently a Crew Capsule Systems Engineer at Blue Origin. On June 4, 2022, he supported Blue Origin’s New Shepard – 21 flight, which included his SDCC MESA sister, Katya Echazarreta, as a Space Crew Member, making her the first Mexican-born and youngest female astronaut!
