MESA Benefits & Services

The benefits of joining MESA include:

• Enhance your educational experience while completing the first two years of a bachelor's degree
• Gain industry knowledge
• Make friends who have similar academic and career interests
• Develop close relationships with faculty members
• Develop and improve your academic leadership skills
• Connect with student and professional organizations to enhance your personal and professional development

MESA Services include:

• MESA Orientation
• Enrichment in math, physics, chemistry, biology, and other related sciences through specialized tutoring, academic excellence workshops, and summer boot camps
• Career planning
• Academic and transfer planning
• University and College tours
• Internship and Research opportunities
• Mentorship, Conferences, and other Networking opportunities

Eligibility Requirements

• Designate Norco College as your "home campus"
• Be U.S. Citizen, permanent resident, Dreamer, or DACA student
• Declare a calculus-based (minimum of one semester required) major in science, engineering, math, or related field
• Intent to transfer to complete a bachelor's degree
  
• No previous bachelor’s degree
• Demonstrate financial need by receiving financial aid (e.g., CA Promise Grant, Pell Grant, CalGrant, CA DREAM Act, Federal Work study, CalFresh, GI Bill, TANF)
• First-generation college student (parent(s) do not have bachelor's degree)
  

If you do not meet all of the above eligibility requirements, please inquire about joining our ASEM program. ASEM members are "Friends of MESA". Participation in ASEM allows students access to most MESA benefits. The only limitation is we are not able to fund out-of-state student conferences or provide stipends. 
ASEM students must meet one of the following:

• Option 1- Be First Generation and STEM Major
• Option 2- Demonstrate Financial Need and STEM Major

Events Calendar

MESA Counseling

 

Welcome to the Norco College MESA community! 

 My name is Brittnee Quintanar and I have worked in higher education since 2006 and as a California Community College (CCC) counselor and instructor since 2014. As an alumni of two Inland Empire CCCs, I am honored to give back to the system that opened many doors of economic upward mobility for myself and my family. I absolutely love being a CCC counselor and helping students like yourself realize and achieve your career and academic goals! I especially enjoy working with STEM students, helping you navigate a rigorous course load and successful transfer to a university for completion of your bachelor's degree. I look forward to getting to know you and learning about your personal academic and career goals. Please reach out to me with any questions or assistance scheduling a MESA counseling appointment.

Brittnee Amberley Quintanar, Ph.D.
Brittnee.Quintanar@norcocollege.edu
Text (951) 291-8588
STEM Center Room 106
Connect with me on LinkedIn

 

Both in-person and online zoom appointments are available. Select the “Your Choice” appointment type and you will be directed in the last screen to select “on-campus” or “video appointment.” If your schedule does not align with mine, please reach out to me and we can identify an alternative day/time to meet.

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE MESA COUNSELING

 

 

MESA Tutoring

All MESA specific tutoring is held in-person in STEM Center room 122. Download the Fall 2024 MESA Tutoring Schedule. MESA Tutoring is open to all Norco College students, not just MESA/ASEM participants.

 

LRC Tutoring

Need tutoring for additional subjects or different days/times? Review additional offerings through the Learning Resource Center.

 

Additional Resources

• More information about MESA Programs
• MESA Statewide Office
• REU Internships 
• Pathways to Science

MESA Coordinator

 

Patricia Gill
MESA Coordinator
(951) 739-7803
Send Email

Patricia Gill is the MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Coordinator for the MESA Program at Norco College. She is a first-generation college student and the first in her family to achieve a college degree. Patricia enjoys working with students and is passionate about student success.  She is a strong advocate for students and works diligently to share STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) opportunities, on/off campus resources, coordinate STEM events and college tours, internships, research opportunities, and scholarships available to students at Norco College. She has worked in higher education since 1984 and spent most of her career dedicated to working with educational support programs that assist first-generation, low-income college students. She thoroughly enjoys working with STEM students, helping them realize and achieve their academic and career goals.  She is an advisor to the Norco College Rocketry Team and STEM Club.

She attended Riverside City College earning her associates in arts degree and then transferred to California State University, San Bernardino.  She majored in Business Administration Management with a concentration in Human Resources and obtained her bachelor's degree. She has worked at Norco College for over 17 years.  Prior to working at Norco College, she worked as a Student Affairs Officer for the Title III Project-HSI Grant in the Graduate School of Education, Administrative Assistant in the California Educational Research Cooperative in the Graduate School of Education and Travel Supervisor in the Accounting Department at the University of California, Riverside for 22 years.

During her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her son Antonio and extended family. She is an avid photographer and loves to cook, travel, and explore the outdoors.