“As a first generation college student, I have found my academic journey of pursuing a Computer Science degree to be a difficult one with little relevant support. The experience I have had being a nontraditional student made me aware of pitfalls that I would like to prevent others in under-represented groups from falling into. As a result I decided to design a guidebook to assist under-represented and first generation students on their academic journey of pushing a STEM major. I am hoping to increase MESA program interest among high school students, increase retention in overall STEM majors among under-represented groups especially first-generation students, and contribute to MESA and by providing a resource that can help better prepare prospective STEM majoring students for the rigors of a STEM major.”

“Prior to college, I was incarcerated and under community supervision for a period.. During my time in school I have been involved with the Justice-Involved Student Group and a larger coalition that supports and advocates for individuals affected by the criminal justice system and returning from incarceration.”

“I am a queer, mixed race graduate student who is passionate about social justice and economic equity. I am very interested in the ways that race, class, gender, sexuality, and other traits intersect and impact lived experience and outcomes. In my project I am working from a food justice and systems perspective to highlight how current methods of food distribution resources combine with other systems of oppression, such as racism and classism, to produce intersectional experiences of stigma that need to be addressed.”

“I lead a student-led volunteer program through the Student Engagement Center. In past years, volunteers, as well as paid interns, worked directly in Spanish dual classrooms. This year, we have transitioned to an entirely online model, providing three projects for volunteers to engage with students virtually in direct and indirect ways. For the first project, students will record themselves reading children's books in Spanish, and they are then uploaded to a Youtube channel to provide students with entertainment and educational enrichment outside the classroom.”

“I am managing and overseeing college tutors, tutoring high school students, creating conversation cards for adult Spanish speakers, creating and participating in a youth advisory committee, creating and leading social justice workshops on leadership, and further developing a high school curriculum that I created on Philosophy and Emotions for high school students, which helps them to learn about their emotions through philosophy and identity, connect with, and express their emotions in healthy ways through creative mediums.”