UKIAH – Six Mendocino College Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) students were awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) S-Stem scholarships. Leroy Hansen, Luis Martinez, Gabriel Molina, Mike Padilla, Susana Ramirez and Gladis Rosales all earned scholarships to four-year institutions.

Students were awarded the scholarships in June and will receive their scholarship during the fall semester. To earn scholarships, students must be members of MESA, demonstrate academic promise and be an engineering, math or computer science major.

There are about 90 scholarships rewarded statewide each year and the scholarship amount is $3,225 for the year, for a maximum of four years.

Hansen and Martinez each earned three year scholarships and will be transferring to four-year schools this upcoming fall and spring semesters.

Molina, Padilla, Ramirez and Rosales each earned four-year scholarships and are planning on transferring in the fall of 2008.

Hansen, who has a 3.8 GPA and will be going to the University of Michigan, plans on majoring in mechanical engineering. He serves as the Mendocino College MESA president and participated in a summer internship at the University of Michigan.

“Without being involved with MESA or having the help of Mendocino College MESA/Learning Center Director Margaret Sanchez, I wouldn’t have had many opportunities or been able to attend the University of Michigan,” Hansen said.

Martinez will be majoring in mechatronic engineering at Chico State University next spring and was the former Mendocino College MESA president. Martinez also served as an assistant teacher at the winter math institute and has a 3.0 GPA.

Gabriel Molina, Mike Padilla, Susana Ramirez and Gladis Rosales each earned four-year scholarships and are planning on transferring in the fall of 2008.

Molina plans on transferring to California Polytechnic State University, where he will be majoring in mechanic engineering. While serving as the Mendocino College MESA vice president and a tutor last spring, Molina maintained a 4.0 GPA.

Involved as a tutor for both MESA and the Mendocino College learning center, Padilla plans on trying to earn a football scholarship to an academic institution. Padilla, who is a member of the Mendocino College football team and is the president of the MESA club, holds a 3.8 GPA and was involved in a robotics internship last summer in Monterey.

“Earning a scholarship will be of great assistance in achieving my academic goals,” Padilla said.

Serving as the Mendocino College MESA treasurer and also as a tutor, Ramirez plans to major in civil engineering. Ramirez holds a 3.8 GPA and is currently doing computer research at SunGuard in San Diego.

Rosales, serves as a tutor for MESA and the HEP program at Mendocino College. Rosales has a 3.6 GPA and plans on majoring in computer science.

“All these students are heavily involved on campus and are great individuals. They are tutors, involved in workshops and are members of MESA,” Mendocino College Mesa Director Margret Sanchez said.

More information about MESA can be found by visiting www.mendocino.edu or contacting Margaret Sanchez at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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