MESA Student Highlights
MESA Student Lyilah Pina, Biology
When did you join MESA and what motivated you to apply?
“ I joined MESA in November of 2023, I was motivated to apply because I had seen emails about the program and was highly interested in the opportunities that it offered. What particularly interested me was that one of the requirements to join was being a first-generation student, I was excited to join a program with members that I could relate to.”
How has your experience in MESA been since joining? What are some of your favorite things about being a part of the MESA community?
“My experience in MESA has been very educational and worthwhile. As a part of the MESA program, I was able to attend a MESA leadership retreat in Santa Cruz that included workshops, team-building exercises, and speakers. This retreat reinforced my passion for the sciences and made me feel like I was going into the right field. My favorite thing about being a part of the MESA community would be being surrounded by people who care about your education. Krysten and Caroline are both very interested in the development of their students and are passionate about what they do. It is inspiring to see people who are so passionate about what they do, it motivates me to try my best in my endeavors. I have gotten so much advice and guidance from the MESA program, it is a program that I would recommend to others.”
What are you working on for your summer research project?
“Over the summer, I was given the opportunity to participate in research at CSUSB. In our research, we are looking at the effects of dietary intervention related to the relationship between aging and Alzheimer's disease in a Drosophila model. We will be administering a nutraceutical to genetically modified drosophila that are expressing the Aß- 42 peptide, as well as administer this to a control group. We will analyze drosophila's lifespan and health span through various tests such as the climbing assay.”
Can you share new knowledge and skills you’ve gained from participating in the summer research program?
“I have learned a lot about Alzheimer's disease while working in the lab, specifically on how nutraceuticals have properties that could potentially prolong the lifespan of Drosophila that are used as a model for neurodegenerative diseases. There are many students in my lab who are working on different kinds of research, some are working with mice and the effects of nicotine. Something interesting that I have learned how to do while in lab would be dissections. I have learned how to dissect drosophila and larvae, particularly the brains of drosophila. Dissecting something so small can be difficult, it requires a lot of patience but I have learned how to dissect and clean the brains of these small creatures. Being in lab, surrounded by people who are passionate about their research, has been inspiring. I hope to apply my passion for the sciences through research in the future.”
MESA Student Tyler Travis, Engineering
When did you join MESA and what motivated you to apply?
“I joined MESA when the program first came to Crafton Hills, I was a recent enrollee and was looking for a group of peers in STEM to support my return to school and was so thankful to have a program like MESA to support me. I was already spending most of my time in the STEM center, so becoming a MESA student was a very seamless transition.”
How has your experience in MESA been since joining? What are some of your favorite things about being a part of the MESA community?
“Since joining MESA I have felt much more confident in my ability to succeed in my STEM courses, enjoyed meeting new people and spending time with other MESA students, and am generally more excited about school. My favorite part of MESA is absolutely all of the people involved with the program and the support that it provides me in my education.”
What are you working on for your summer research project?
“This summer, I am working with Dr. Kethireddy at CSUSB to study nitrates in both surface and drinking water in California. We are currently developing a system that will allow us to take samples of surface water using sensors mounted to a waterproof drone, that will both give us live data and the ability to analyze that same data within our lab to map surface water quality in California watersheds.”
Can you share new knowledge and skills you’ve gained from participating in the summer research program?
“Since participating in the summer research program, I have developed many new skills such as: Analyzing samples using a UV spectrophotometer, Arduino hardware and programming, 3D modeling, skilled literature reviews, developing a research poster and abstract, and many more!”
MESA Student Katherine Granados, Biology
"I work on eliminating the health disparities in the field of health care, specifically in Breast Cancer. I am focusing on a very rare subtype called Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). TNBC accounts for about 10-15% of BC. This carcinoma is not associated with hormone therapies, since it lacks the hormones progesterone and estrogen and the amplification of the HER2 gene, which are essential for endocrine therapy. In my lab I work on how insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-II) plays a role in breast cancer. We have found that high levels of IGF-II in is associated with high levels of the Mitochondrial protein MAGMAS. Using western blots and immunofloresence we proposed to show how the regulation of IGF-II regulates MAGMAS and protects cells from chemotherapy. Our overall goal is to validate how targeting IGF-II regulation can be used in treating TNBC.
I am presenting my poster at the Endocrine Society on June 1-4 in Boston on my abstract "IGF-II Regulates Magmas A Mitochondrial Protein Required For Cell Viability And ROS Protection" it has yet to be published but this conference's abstracts count as a publication. A paper on this will also be published after the conference (my first paper!). I will be open to presenting at the Fall conference, I presented in the Fall last year on my work for the summer (I just need permission). I found out about this in high school through Loma Linda's ABC program (similar to the surf program) and have been working for them for the past 2 summers and was hired as a part time laboratory aide since last august. LLU has a Center for Health Disparities (CHDMM) which is targeted around exposing students to the health disparities in medicine.
The most exciting thing was finding a place where I can be myself and not need to adapt to, rather a place where I can be myself."
MESA Student Francisco Perez Ortiz, Math/Physics
What schools were you accepted to?
“UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, UC Merced, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, and UC San Diego.”
What has been your biggest educational challenge so far? How did you overcome it?
“Neither of my parents completed high school so it was difficult to receive any support. During the COVID pandemic, I failed several classes on top of already having a low GPA and did not have my eyes set on any college. I overcame this setback by taking a more active role in my academics. I started by talking to my teachers and making a better effort to be involved. I chose community college where I developed valuable connections with both my professors and peers which brings me to where I am now.”
What resources (centers, workshops, study groups, professor's office hours, etc.) did you use here at Crafton that helped you succeed?
“I used the STEM center and library for their study spaces. In the STEM center I met professors and other faculty who advised me and helped me make the right choices. I also met other students who were driven and inspired me to do even better in my own academics.”
Were you in clubs/extracurriculars? If so, which ones and what was your experience like in them?
“I helped revive the math club after a long period of inactivity with the pandemic. I became vice president in my third semester and president in my last semester. We brought our membership from 5 in the first semester to over 15 consistent members.”
What keeps you motivated to keep studying, keep showing up to class, etc.?
“I consider myself a very curious person. This curiosity drives me to understand my coursework on a deeper level.”
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out on their community college career?
“Frequent the same places at the same time so you make friends. Talk to your professors. Try new things. If you’d like to transfer to a more prestigious college, don’t sleep on extracurricular activities.”
Lastly, if there are any instructors that particularly inspired you or helped you along your journey, please name them here and explain their impact on you.
“Jodi Hanley is a very strong and inspiring person. She encouraged me to research linear algebra and differential equations on my own. Jillian Robertson has also helped me in my academic journey. She has encouraged me to reach for my goals. I also think Krysten Audibert was a great advisor who connected me to people, events and opportunities.”
