Home

10%

CSUB to launch Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Center

Gift from Chevron will help establish program that will support STEM majors

By California State University, Bakersfield

February 12^th, 2026

Students looking to pursue a career in a STEM field will soon be able to take advantage of a program focused on ensuring that they have access to additional resources that will empower their journey to a degree.

California State University, Bakersfield is in the process of establishing a Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) Center on campus. MESA is a nationwide program that aims to ease STEM pathways for underrepresented and first-generation students by providing them with extra academic support and hands-on learning experiences.

“It’s very exciting. The MESA program is one of the best approaches to inspiring students to go into a STEM major,” said Dr. Jane Dong, dean for the College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering (NSME). “I'm glad that a MESA program will be established over here, and I definitely think it will be very welcomed by the local community. Its impact will be very significant.”

The center, which is expected to open this fall, will be located next to the NSME Student Advising and Success Center in Engineering Complex III. It is expected to serve about 200 CSUB students per year, along with thousands of students in local K-12 schools and community colleges.

Once it opens, CSUB will join Bakersfield College (BC) and Taft College in offering the MESA program to students.

The MESA Center is being funded in part by Chevron as part of its $500,000 gift to CSUB this academic year. Around $135,000 is being committed to help launch the center. The rest of the donation is being used to support the Fab Lab, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program and other initiatives.

Chevron has had a long history of supporting CSUB. The company has donated more than $16 million since 1990. The university celebrated Chevron’s contributions last year during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new outdoor makerspace located behind the Engineering Complex.

“Chevron is proud to support the creation of the MESA University Center at CSUB, which will have a transformative impact on local students by fostering academic excellence and opening pathways to STEM careers,” said Chevron San Joaquin Valley Vice President Michelle Burkett. “By investing in rigorous programming and hands-on experiences, we are helping underrepresented and first-generation students realize their potential and become the next generation of problem-solvers in our community. We are honored to partner with CSUB and invest in programs that nurture innovation, leadership and opportunity for all.”

Dr. Dong said Chevron’s donations will support the planning phase of the center, help the university furnish the new center and support MESA events and activities during the program’s first year.

“I really appreciate their contribution. Without Chevron’s funding, we wouldn’t be able to establish this program,” she said. “They have been a long-term partner with us that supports STEM education, and especially for our local region, their support is quite necessary. It's really helped to broaden access and also support student success in the STEM area.”

After receiving Chevron’s gift, CSUB was able to secure a $250,000 K-16 Regional Collaborative grant through the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) last fall that will be used to support the center’s operation for the next two years.

“The Kern Regional K-16 Education Collaborative is proud to support CSUB’s new MESA program as a powerful engine for equity and opportunity in STEM. This investment is designed to strengthen a seamless pathway from K-12 to college and into high-demand careers, ensuring that more of Kern’s diverse students are prepared to thrive in fields like engineering, science and technology,” said Kimberly Graham, assistant superintendent of Local, Regional and Statewide Systems of Support at KCSOS. “By aligning with the state’s Recovery with Equity framework, we’re not only expanding access, but also transforming the way our region supports students to and through college and into the workforce.”

Dr. Dong said the grant, along with Chevron’s donation, will help CSUB launch the MESA Center and support operations for the first two years, after which additional funding will be required.

“Currently, we do not have sustainable funding, so we hope we can collect some data and show the impact of the program,” she said.

'The first step'

Dr. Dong has long wanted to bring the MESA program to CSUB. Before being hired by the university in 2022, she worked at Cal State Los Angeles as associate dean for the College of Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, where she helped run its MESA program.

“I know how effective a MESA center can be in terms of connecting with all the K-12 institutions and inspiring the next generation,” Dr. Dong said.

When she came to CSUB, Dr. Dong said she was surprised to learn that the university didn’t have a MESA program and felt there was a strong desire for one among students who had participated in the programs at BC and Taft College.

“When those students transfer to CSUB, they are looking for a MESA program because they feel that’s their home and they are very disappointed that we don't have one,” she said. “I think it's important to have one so that we can make the transfer pathway smoother for students and maintain that community support when they transfer.”

MESA at CSUB will consist of two components: a university program that focuses on supporting the students who are already on campus and a college preparation program that focuses on working with K-12 schools and community colleges to prepare students for pursuing a STEM major at the university.

The MESA Center will launch this fall with the university program before expanding to include a college preparation program sometime next year.

“The goal of the university program is to build a supportive community for students in STEM majors, which have very rigorous curriculum and intensive study. I think that academic and social support is very important for the students to grow,” Dr. Dong said.

The university is already in the process of developing partnerships with local middle and high schools. The goal is for the MESA Center to eventually host competitions and hands-on activities for K-12 students.

“That is a quite effective way for the kids to know what these majors are and link them to the industry professionals,” Dr. Dong said.

Dr. Dong also hopes the center will also become a “resource hub for teachers,” where they can receive special training and assistance with developing activities for the after-school MESA programs at their schools.

‘A launch pad’

Dr. Dong believes the MESA program on campus will encourage more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. She has seen the impact it has had on some of the students who had previously been part of the program at their high school or community college.

“When I talk to engineering students, the reason many of them choose engineering or even get to know about engineering is because they engaged in a MESA program,” Dr. Dong said. “It gives them a motivation to not only engage but also to excel in their hands-on activities, and that's really the first step where people consider these careers.”

Bakersfield College’s MESA program had a major impact on Megan McCullah-Boozer. She participated in the program while she was pursuing her associate degree in biology as a nontraditional student.

“That was the reason I was able to get through it,” she said. “MESA gave me a cohort of fellow students and a lot of resources and encouragement. It laid out the hidden pieces of higher education and how to navigate that. It provided a launch pad to gather all of these resources and have a home, a built-in support system and guidance through the entire process.”

When McCullah-Boozer transferred to CSUB in 2021, she no longer had access to a MESA program but was still able to rely on the connections she made with the other students in her cohort, faculty and professionals in the field.

McCullah-Boozer went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in natural sciences with a concentration in biology from the university in 2023 and is about to graduate this spring with a master’s in biology. Her goal is become a junior college biology professor.

“I’ve always enjoyed science,” she said. “I knew I wanted to do something that felt important, something that is benefitting my community.”

In the meantime, McCullah-Boozer is helping students like herself by serving as the MESA program manager at BC, a position she’s held for nearly two years.

“It offers me an opportunity to give back, to see students accomplish their goals and dreams,” she said. “The program really changes their lives and their life trajectory. It’s something I see every year when we graduate students. We see them contributing to our community and the communities they move into, changing how they see themselves in the world and how the world sees them.”

McCullah-Boozer is excited about CSUB developing its own MESA program and center and looks forward to developing a stronger partnership with the university.

“I think it’s wonderful that Dr. Dong has been an advocate for getting the MESA program launched at CSUB,” she said. “We’ve seen at BC how the students really make it their home. This is where they spend their time between classes. It becomes a student-centered hub. The partnership opportunity and the ability to collaborate is going to be fantastic. We’re excited to have another teammate in this.”

SUPPORT CSUB — GIVE NOW

Footnotes

Story by Joseph Luiz, writer/marketing and communications specialist

Button Label

FootNotes

Story by Joseph Luiz, writer/marketing and communications specialist

CSUB, legal partners offer Kern residents chance to clear criminal records

CSUB to launch Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Center

Gift from Chevron will help establish program that will support STEM majors

FootNotes

Potential participants are encouraged to RSVP and begin gathering records

February 11^th, 2026

KCSOS Superintendent John Mendiburu to be inducted into Alumni Hall of Fame

Several events being held throughout February

Jennifer Barrera to be inducted into Alumni Hall of Fame

April 15 lecture among several KIE events planned for semester

FootNotes

Potential participants are encouraged to RSVP and begin gathering records

February 11th, 2026

KCSOS Superintendent John Mendiburu to be inducted into Alumni Hall of Fame

Several events being held throughout February

Jennifer Barrera to be inducted into Alumni Hall of Fame

April 15 lecture among several KIE events planned for semester

February 11^th, 2026