2008 Woodie Awards
Mesa alumnus succeeds in science
Christin Baliey
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Entertainment
For many of us, it can be difficult to see life after Mesa College. Student tunnel vision sometimes obscuring much besides Scantron sheets and expensive required texts, making degrees seem vaguely reminiscent of fabled creatures like Loch Ness or Bigfoot. Piecing together any kind of transfer agreement through careful planning in the overwhelming number of pages in the course catalog can easily feel like a harrowing undertaking. But, still, it can be done.
Tiago Antonio knows.
Antonio, a Mesa alumnus, was recently accepted into the Ecological Community Psychology Ph. D. program at Michigan State University. After leaving Mesa College, he went on to transfer to San Diego State University where he continued to participate in research in the area of teen relationship violence. Antonio was a Career Opportunities in Research scholar, a Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training scholar, and a Ronald E. McNair scholar.
Before all of this, though, Antonio was recognized as a 2005 Bridges to the Baccalaureate scholar at Mesa College. The program, according to director Jaye Van Kirk, "seeks to identify promising underrepresented scholars in the sciences who have aspirations for careers in scientific research."
"I remember that day as if it was yesterday," said Antonio about the day he first became aware of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program. "I would always chat with Dr. Kawahara [Bridges director] after class until one day he mentioned this great opportunity to conduct research. Although I didn't really know what Bridges was, I applied anyway because Dr. Kawahara believed I could succeed in it."
Since then, his passion for answers and research has nothing but multiplied, as has his experience. Through Mesa, Antonio received his first hands on research opportunity. During his first summer involved with the Bridges program, given the hands on experience of conducting statistical analysis, as well as learning research methodology and scientific writing.
Tiago Antonio knows.
Antonio, a Mesa alumnus, was recently accepted into the Ecological Community Psychology Ph. D. program at Michigan State University. After leaving Mesa College, he went on to transfer to San Diego State University where he continued to participate in research in the area of teen relationship violence. Antonio was a Career Opportunities in Research scholar, a Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training scholar, and a Ronald E. McNair scholar.
Before all of this, though, Antonio was recognized as a 2005 Bridges to the Baccalaureate scholar at Mesa College. The program, according to director Jaye Van Kirk, "seeks to identify promising underrepresented scholars in the sciences who have aspirations for careers in scientific research."
"I remember that day as if it was yesterday," said Antonio about the day he first became aware of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program. "I would always chat with Dr. Kawahara [Bridges director] after class until one day he mentioned this great opportunity to conduct research. Although I didn't really know what Bridges was, I applied anyway because Dr. Kawahara believed I could succeed in it."
Since then, his passion for answers and research has nothing but multiplied, as has his experience. Through Mesa, Antonio received his first hands on research opportunity. During his first summer involved with the Bridges program, given the hands on experience of conducting statistical analysis, as well as learning research methodology and scientific writing.
Be the first to comment on this story