STEM Shadow Day
MESA's STEM Shadow Day will be in-person on the Thursday before the Thanksgiving holiday: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Through the free annual STEM Shadow Day event, undergraduate students from San Diego State University, community colleges (San Diego City, Southwestern, Grossmont, Mesa, Imperial Valley, Miramar, Miracosta) and MESA program high school students from San Diego and Imperial Valley counties will have a unique experience to witness the “real world” of work in an engineering or scientific environment.
Industry’s involvement will provide a great opportunity for our up and coming students to “test the waters” in a field of their interest and see first-hand how classroom skills relate to the workplace. What better way to do that, than observe and work with a professional in action!
Employers can make a positive impact on the lives of students, our future engineers and scientists, and students can picture themselves in these positions in the near future while creating attainable goals to get there.
For questions about STEM Shadow Day, please contact Eric Pamintuan ([email protected])
Timeline and Sample Agenda
- August - Sunday, September __, 2025: Industry registration.
- Monday, September __ - Sunday, October __: Student registration.
- October ___ Students are matched to companies, requests for identification and other company requested documentation.
- October ___: Student matches are sent to industry.
- November 3-7: Student preparation meeting options:
- Grossmont College:
- Imperial Valley College:
- Mesa College:
- MiraCosta College:
- Miramar College:
- San Diego City College:
- San Diego State University (SDSU):
- Tuesday, November 4, ___, ___
- Wednesday, November __, 2:00-2:50 pm, in-person ____
- Wednesday, November __, 3:00-3:50 pm, in-person ____
- Thursday, November 6, ___, ___
- Friday, November 7, ___, Zoom
- Friday, November 7, ___, Zoom
- Friday, November 7, ___, Zoom
- Southwestern College:
- High school students: Please contact your MESA teacher/advisor/staff.
- Tuesday, November 11: Veteran's Day holiday.
- Thursday, November 20: STEM Shadow Day!
- Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving holiday.
- August - Sunday, September 15, 2024: Industry registration.
- Monday, September 23 - Sunday, October 13: Student registration.
- October 16-21: Students are matched to companies, requests for identification and other company requested documentation.
- October 28-31: Student matches are sent to industry.
- November 4-8: Student preparation meeting options:
- San Diego State University students:
- San Diego City College students:
- Thursday, November 7: 2:00-3:00 pm, Zoom
- Southwestern College students:
- Tuesday, November 12: 12:00-12:45 pm, Zoom
- Grossmont College students:
- Imperial Valley College students:
- To be determined...
- Mesa College students: None/not applicable
- Miracosta College students:
- Wednesday, November 13: 6:00-7:00 pm, Zoom
- Miramar College students:
- Thursday, November 7: 3:00-4:00 pm, in-person
- Friday, November 8: Zoom
- High school students: Will be notified by MESA staff and/or MESA teachers/advisors.
- Monday, November 11: Veteran's Day holiday.
- Thursday, November 21: STEM Shadow Day!
- Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving holiday.
2nd Floor Conference Room Titan
- 9:30-10:00 am Welcome and introduction to company
- 10:00-10:30 am HR (internship, entry level, special programs, growth opportunities)
- 10:30-11:30 am Tour of facility, worksite/projects review
- 11:30-12:30 pm Roundtable/Q&A lunch with mentors, recent grads, interns, etc.
- 12:30-1:30 pm Hands-on activities, alternate departments
- 1:30-2:00 Closing/picture for PR
Breaks worked in between as applicable. Industry hosts have flexibility to structure their agenda and timing to best match their working environment and student demographics.
Typical start times have been ~8:00-10:00 am, with end times from ~2:00-4:00 pm.