EWU MESA Vision

The MESA program at EWU has three main pillars: EWU student support, K-12 and community outreach, and STEM teacher development.

The three pillars of EWU's MESA vision are EWU student support, K-12 and community outreach, and STEM teacher development. Aspects of student support include: student support center, tutoring, peer mentoring, one-on-one advising and support, internships, career advising, paid summer research experiences, conference travel support, cohort math classes, community and team building events, professional development and career building workshops, and school supply support. Aspects of K-12 and community outreach include the girls+ STEM camp, middle school MESA camp, STEM Career Summer Academy, MESA university ambassadors, transfer advising support, high school research experience, FAFSA and WSOS support, and MESA running start network. Aspects of STEM teacher development include a postsecondary inclusive teaching academy and STEM education research.
Activities that are under development include MESA college in the high school, STEM Education MESA research graduate assistants, integrated inclusive STEM pedagogy in teacher prep, MESA STEM equipment pool, and K-12 & community college faculty in residence.

K-12 Summer Camps

EWU faculty, staff, and students in the college of STEM host two camps each summer to support future scientists. Both camps include activities from a variety of sciences so that students see some of the variety in what it means to be a scientist. All of the activities are student-centered, and many (e.g., making Chapstick) result in a product that campers can take home to remember their experience.

The Girls+ STEM Camp is for kids who will be in grades 3-5 in the upcoming school year. Here’s an article about the camp from its inaugural year. For more information or to register for the camp, go to https://test-inside.ewu.edu/girlsplusstemcamp/.

The Middle School MESA camp is for kids who have participated in a MESA program at their middle school, or who are just interested in learning more about science on a college campus. For more information or to register for the camp, go to https://test-inside.ewu.edu/middleschoolmesacamp/.

STEM Career Summer Academy

The STEM Career Summer Academy is designed for students who have participated in a MESA program and completed 10th grade. In this academy, students will spend eight days touring facilities from some of EWU’s industry partners and learning about educational pathways that lead to work in those industries. Each industry tour day is followed by a classroom day with activities related to that industry. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Melissa Graham at mgraham14@ewu.edu.