Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP)

Also known as the MESA Engineering Program, MEP is the university-level component of Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA), a statewide program of the University of California Office of the President. At UC Santa Cruz, MEP is supported by the Baskin School of Engineering. Its goal is to promote the retention and graduation of a diverse population of students, especially those from groups that remain the most underrepresented in engineering studies.

MEP provides academic and personal support for engineering students who are first-generation college students, are the first in the family to pursue engineering or computer science studies, or are from a low-income (limited financial resources) or educationally disadvantaged background. MEP’s academic learning community supplements students’ undergraduate experience and encourages them to continue their education by attending graduate school. MEP has a strong support system and engages students’ full participation in a variety of services and activities. These include academic advising, personal counseling, tutorial services, drop-in assistance, individual and small-group study, study-skills workshops, peer-support networks, community-building activities, scholarships, and an engineering Summer Bridge program for a select group of entering first-year students.

MEP’s well-equipped study center and computer lab provides 24-hour access to computer workstations, printer, textbooks, individual lockers, and a place for students to gather and study. Students who have participated in pre-university service programs (e.g., Early Academic Outreach, Upward Bound, MESA, Talent Search, Puente, DEEP, Smith Scholastic Society) are encouraged to apply to MEP.

For further information, call (831) 459-2868, visit the MEP website, or drop by the School of Engineering Undergraduate Affairs Office, 231 Baskin Engineering Building.