For Immediate Release
October 26, 2011

Cañada Students Chosen for Leadership Conference

The students were selected because of their strong leadership skills.

A select group of Cañada College students honed leadership skills for the future during a special conference for engineering and computer science majors.

The Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Student Leadership Conference offers extensive professional and leadership development through direct interaction with industry mentors and speakers. The hand-picked MESA students, engineering or computer science majors, are from 25 universities and community colleges across the state, including Cañada.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) sponsored the event with a $60,000 grant that allowed 152 students to attend. More than 18 PG&E employees volunteered their time to work closely with the students during the conference October 6-8 at the Oakland Convention Center.

PG&E has supported MESA since 1979 and will be recognized for the extensive assistance in helping educationally disadvantaged MESA students graduate in math-based fields.  Other sponsors include San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Gas Company, East Bay Municipal Utilities District, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District and Vanir Construction Management, Inc.

MESA is one of the largest programs in the state to support educationally disadvantaged students so they can graduate from college with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees.

“We know that California’s economy needs more STEM workers to stay competitive,” said MESA Executive Director Oscar F. Porter. “These students provide the solution to industry’s need for well-trained professionals. They were selected to attend the conference because these students have strong leadership skills. This event gives them a chance to interact extensively with STEM professionals currently working in the field."

Student attendees represent the following campuses: CSU Chico, CSU East Bay, CSU Fresno, CSU Long Beach, CSU Los Angeles, CSU Sacramento, San Diego State University, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, American River College (Sacramento), Butte College (Oroville), Cañada College (Redwood City), City College of San Francisco, Cosumnes River College (Sacramento), Los Medanos College (Pittsburg), Mission College (Santa Clara), Napa Valley College, Sacramento City College, San Diego City College, San Joaquin Delta College, Skyline College (San Bruno), Southwestern College, Yuba College (Marysville).

For more information, contact Robert Hood, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at hoodr@smccd.edu or 306-3340