Diablo Valley College students struggling through tough math or science courses may soon have help.

Next month, a new MESA@DVC pilot will begin to provide much needed relief.

The pilot is an offshoot of a statewide MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) program which provides ongoing academic assistance and support to students in the sciences.

“The purpose of MESA@DVC will be to help academically disadvantaged students succeed in STEM fields,” Despina Prapavessi, math professor and co-chair of the MESA@DVC pilot steering committee, said.

Each semester she sees students enroll in challenging math and science classes with high hopes of succeeding in STEM fields. But often they don’t have the foundational knowledge base needed.

“They’re left on their own, they’re disappointed and they decide to major in a different field,” she said.

The MESA team hopes to change that by providing ongoing support to students in need.

The MESA@DVC Center will be a central hub where participants can gather to create a community and access services like study skills workshops, exam preparation assistance, academic planning, counseling and help with the transfer process.

“It’s going to be extremely beneficial,” Michael Carr said. Currently enrolled in a DVC pre-calculus class, Carr plans to take even more challenging classes next semester. “Having this kind of support would really be great.”

MESA participants will also have access to professional development tools such as resume writing workshops, mock interviews, internships and industry networking.

“We go way back with industry,” Oscar Porter, Executive Director of the statewide MESA organization said.

Chevron, Bayer and AT&T are a few of the East Bay companies that work with the program. They provide a variety of support, Porter said, such as program funding, volunteer tutors and mentors and internships.

On campus, MESA participants will get help from a host of resources, including MESA@DVC co-coordinators Janice Gray and Maitreyee Chandra, who will staff the center, more than 12 faculty volunteers and a counselor. Computers and textbooks will also be available for participant use.

“We want to support the students in the ways that they need,” DeGray said. “So right on the application there’s a question that asks ‘what services are you interested in?’”

The planning team hopes that students will identify specific areas of need that can be addressed in ongoing service offerings.

“For me, the most beneficial part is the counseling,” said pre-calculus student Katelyn Culver. “The only way I have managed until this point is asking other students questions and for information.”

To be eligible to participate in MESA@DVC, students must 1) either be the first in their family to attend college, or qualify to receive financial aid; 2) intend to major in a science program that requires two semesters of pre-calculus/calculus; and 3) be eligible for transfer level math (for example, the student should have completed Math 120 or taken intermediate algebra in high school).

Applications are being accepted through October 2 and are available online at http://www.dvc.edu/current/learningcommunity/mesa/.

Informational sessions will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23 and Wednesday, Sept. 24 in ATC-116.

Questions? Contact Maria Dorado at, [email protected], Despina Prapavessi at [email protected], or Tish Young, at [email protected].