FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 12, 2009

Contact:  Robert Preston, Jr.,
              912.260.4276
              robert.preston@sgc.edu

MESA program prepares math, science majors at SGC

A University System of Georgia-funded program at South Georgia College is helping students focus their education – and careers – on math- and science-based fields.

The Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Program (MESA) began in California and has spread throughout the United States. It arrived on the South Georgia College campus during the spring semester of 2008.

The goal of the program is to help educationally disadvantaged students earn degrees in math and science. It’s an award-winning program that can be found in elementary, middle and high schools, as well as college campuses.

At the Jan. 8 Rotary Club luncheon, Marie Brooks, MESA coordinator for South Georgia College, detailed the program for the club. Marie came on board as MESA’s first full-time coordinator on campus in July. Within a year, MESA membership has grown to 20 students.

MESA is but one component of a statewide emphasis on increasing the number of students graduating with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees. Across the United States, STEM-related fields are seeing shortages of qualified applicants for jobs. These positions are among the highest paying and most in-demand jobs in the marketplace today. Generating an adequate applicant pool for these jobs is becoming a major priority among Georgia’s colleges and universities. And there aren’t very many. For example, of the 1,865 students at SGC, only 200 are actual math or science majors. Of those, 11 percent are STEM majors and only one percent are math majors. It is very important that SGC, like all of Georgia’s colleges and universities, make sure those students graduate in their chosen fields and enter the workforce.

At Rotary, Marie outlined the qualifications for becoming a member of MESA. To qualify, a student must be considered “educationally disadvantaged,” namely a recipient of financial aid and/or a first generation college student. The program targets females, African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. MESA members must also be working toward a four-year degree or majoring in a degree that requires at least pre-calculus or two majors-level science or math courses.

MESA members have at their disposal an exclusive study center, group tutoring programs, transfer assistance, academic and career advising, field trips and scholarships. MESA utilizes field trips to heighten enthusiasm for the different fields of math and science study. To date, MESA has hosted field trips to the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Jekyll Island Shrimp Festival and the University of Georgia Marine Science Extension Center. Upcoming field trips include the Georgia Aquarium and MESA Student Leadership Conference in Atlanta, the state crime lab, PCC Airfoils in Douglas and several sites in Orlando, including Wonderworks, Sea World and the Orlando Science Center. “Field trips help the students discover what fields they enjoy. For example, it was interesting to see the computer science majors at the marine science extension center. They weren’t real excited about working with the marine animals,” said Marie.

Community members and partners interested in assisting with MESA should contact Marie Brooks at 260-4349 or katherine.brooks@sgc.edu. Businesses, industries or individuals can help by leading development workshops, providing internships or job shadowing, or donations of time or money. “This program is critical to the development of the mathematics and technology fields. There could be a shortage in these fields in the future if programs like this don’t survive,” said Marie.

“MESA is quickly becoming one of South Georgia College’s most important academic programs. Business and industry are in great need of graduates trained in science and mathematics. MESA helps prepare students to step into stable, well-paying positions on the cutting edge of technology. This is an exciting program that we hope will continue to grow on campus,” said Dr. Carl McDonald, SGC’s Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs.
 

Photo: SGC Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Carl McDonald, SGC MESA program director Marie Brooks and Matthew Greer, past president of the Douglas Rotary Club.

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is a two-year institution in the University System of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty.