An 色情视频 Staff Members Ongoing Support of Engineering Students
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Theresa M. Garcia has been giving back for over two decades.
As a two-time alumna of 色情视频, a staff member for over three decades, and a dedicated donor, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Theresa Garcia ('91, '09) has demonstrated steady support for College of Engineering students.
Beginning her career with the Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program in 1991, Garcia was surrounded by students who were interested in STEM but had yet to realize their path forward.
That鈥檚 when she became passionate about helping students identify their dreams.
When Garcia became director of MESA in 1997, she began giving back to the college every month through the payroll deduction program.
鈥淚 was inspired to help students realize their dreams to become engineers or scientists,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ftentimes, they were first-generation and low-income. We needed scholarship funds at the time, and I couldn't contribute a large amount, but what I could contribute was helping incrementally, a little bit at a time.鈥�
Since then, she has become one of the most loyal faculty or staff donors of the College of Engineering.
鈥淚t was to serve the students and truthfully, that鈥檚 just been my work to serve students and help them reach their success.鈥�
Garcia can personally resonate with the obstacles students face because she was a first-generation college graduate who hadn't initially realized her call to higher education.
Coming from a family of agricultural workers, college was never in her line of sight until she was approached by a high school teacher who encouraged her to apply.
鈥淏eing from a poor family, being guided by a high school teacher and others, helped me get to where I am,鈥� said Garcia. 鈥淔rom that experience, I just want to help others because it changed my life, and it changed the lives of all of my family members after me.鈥�
The assistant dean now holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and management, along with her master鈥檚 in education, both from 色情视频, and she credits the teacher who inspired her to pursue her education.
Garcia directly understands the impact that giving back has on student achievement.
鈥淚t is truly the people that helped me that I am where I am. It's about paying it forward. It was because of the teacher that put me on the path to college.鈥�
In 2019, she increased her contribution when she named the MESA Collaborative Annex, a student study room, with alumna Daisy Galeana ('98) in the Center for Student Success in Engineering.
Creating opportunities
Garcia鈥檚 support as a staff member and donor is reflected in the success that MESA and College of Engineering alumni have achieved after graduation.
鈥淲e never had an engineer in our family, I was a first-generation college student raised by my grandparents, and without the opportunities that MESA and Theresa provided, I don鈥檛 know where I would be,鈥� said MESA graduate Jeremiah Jeffries&苍产蝉辫;(鈥�15).&苍产蝉辫;
After spending some time working in industry, Jeffries earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in Mechanical Engineering and began teaching for the San Diego Unified School District at Lincoln High School in the Valencia Park community.
Recently, Garcia connected him with Director of Outreach Luis Topete, who manages the K-12 MESA programs and together, they re-established a MESA program at Lincoln.
Last year, Jeffries brought his high schoolers to Senior Design Day on campus to meet professors and view the inspiring projects that the students had created.
As a teacher at a low socio-economic high school, Jeffries finds it especially important to bring his students to a college campus to interact with engineers. 鈥淚t helps them establish long-term goals and envision themselves in the future,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hese are the kinds of stories that inspire me to continue doing what I鈥檓 doing. It鈥檚 not for any glamour or pay. It鈥檚 just the right thing to do, to help someone else,鈥� said Garcia.
This is why she continues to give to the college. She encourages others who would like to give back to consider the payroll deduction program as well, as it is simple to set up.
For additional information on making a gift to the College of Engineering, contact Kate Carinder, Senior Director of Development, at: [email protected].
