MESA Scholars Share Vision of Future Success After National STEM Conferences

On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the Porterville College MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program celebrated a semester of exploration and professional growth as eight groups of MESA Scholars presented their experiences from two major fall field trips.

The presentations offered a glimpse into the transformative impact of attending national conventions for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), where students connected with industry leaders and envisioned their futures in STEM.

Students who traveled to the SHPE National Convention in Philadelphia found themselves in the center of the engineering world. The event’s massive job fair, attended by Fortune 500 engineering firms, left a lasting impression on the scholars.

MESA Scholar Jair Ramirez captured the magnitude of the opportunity with a powerful question posed to his peers during the presentation: “What would you do if you were in a room with billions of dollars represented?”

For Ramirez and his fellow attendees, the answer was clear: network, learn, and prepare to lead. The convention provided a rare platform for students to interact directly with recruiters from top-tier companies, bridging the gap between their academic studies at Porterville College and high-level careers in industry.

Meanwhile, the cohort that attended the Society of Women Engineers (WE25) conference in New Orleans returned with a renewed sense of confidence and possibility.

Presenters shared how the conference allowed them to experience "a day in the field" through the eyes of working professionals. This practical insight did more than just educate; it motivated.

Students said the experience opened their eyes to opportunities far beyond our local area, inspiring them to consider transferring to universities outside the Central Valley and even California.

These experiences underscore the core mission of the Porterville College MESA program: to support underrepresented students in STEM by providing the resources, mentorship, and exposure needed to excel. By funding travel to national conferences, MESA helps students build the "social capital" and confidence required to navigate competitive STEM fields.

As the fall 2025 semester concludes, these scholars are not just returning with souvenirs, but with a clearer vision of their professional futures—and the motivation to turn those "billions of dollars" of potential into BIG realities.