MESA students. Photo courtesy of Gavilan College.

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Gavilan College’s Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program celebrated a major milestone during its 10th Annual MESA Graduation and Transfer Banquet held on May 8, 2026, at Hecker Pass Winery. The event honored graduating and transferring MESA students for their academic achievements, leadership, and commitment to pursuing careers in STEM fields. 

The annual banquet brought together students, families, faculty, staff, administrators, and community leaders for an evening recognizing the accomplishments and resilience of Gavilan’s MESA scholars. 

Special guest speakers included Dr. Pedro Avila, who encouraged students to continue striving for excellence and leadership as they transfer to universities across California and beyond. 

Additional remarks were shared by Vanessa Gonzalez, Senior Field Representative for Speaker Robert Rivas, who also presented certificates of recognition from the Office of the Speaker of the California State Assembly to Gavilan College MESA students in honor of their academic achievements, leadership, and dedication to pursuing STEM education pathways.  

The banquet also featured inspiring student keynote speeches from graduating MESA students: 

Nancy Velasquez-Rodriguez, who will be transferring to San José State University to study Chemistry. Photo courtesy of Gavilan College.
Luis Natera, who will be transferring to the University of California, Davis to study Mechanical Engineering. Photo courtesy of Gavilan College.

Throughout the evening, students were recognized for academic achievement, leadership, perseverance, and involvement within the Gavilan College MESA community. The celebration reflected the continued impact of the MESA Program in preparing students from historically underrepresented backgrounds for success in calculus-based STEM degrees and careers. 

The Gavilan College MESA Program provides academic support, counseling, transfer preparation, career exploration, workshops, internships, and leadership opportunities designed to help students succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

For more information about the Gavilan College MESA Program, visit Gavilan College MESA Program at https://www.gavilan.edu/student/mesa/.