MESA Director wins award

Marilyn Saavedra-Leyva, named the MESA Community College Administrator of the Year, will be honored later this month

Seattle Central’s Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Director Marilyn Saavedra-Leyva has been named the MESA Community College Administrator of the Year. She will be recognized at the Washington MESA Champion Dinner tonight at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.

MESA is an academic enrichment program that connects underrepresented students with jobs, internships, professional development and educational opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Some of Saavedra-Leyva’s accomplishments that contributed to her winning the award include:

  • Planning and hosting Seattle Central MESA Student Center’s grand opening in April with over 30 industry partners and university representatives in attendance
  • Providing support in the recently approved expansion of the MESA program to six additional community colleges in Washington state
  • Increase student membership averaging 90 members per year with over 70 percent of members from historically underrepresented groups in STEM
  • Starting the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) chapter at Seattle Central
  • Building relationships with an array of community partners and leaders to provide MESA students with mentoring and internship opportunities. Partnerships include Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and more