The 14th Annual San Diego MESA Alliance Leadership Summit, sponsored by Atkins Global Inc., took place at the Indian Hills Camp in Jamul on the weekend of February 27 – March 1, 2015.
46 MESA students from San Diego State University, San Diego City College, Southwestern College, San Diego MESA Schools Program high schools (Del Lago Academy, Morse High School, San Diego High School, Sweetwater High School), and Imperial Valley MESA Schools Program high schools (Brawley Central Union High School, Central Union High School, Imperial High School, and Southwest High School) took the Gallup Organization’s Strengths Quest test which gives students and educators the opportunity to develop strengths by building on their greatest talents. The activities and competitions during the camp retreat revolved around these results and team development.
A Strengths Quest seminar was presented by Mr. Rafael Alvarez consisting of Reviewing Strengths, a Scavenger Hunt, Common Strengths lecture, connecting strengths to future planning and life/career goals, and creating a cover/interest letter. MESA alumna and current industry member from Pratt & Whitney AeroPower, Ms. Maria Charles, spoke about the characteristics of an effective team.
The three team competitions for the event consisted of a LEGO challenge, building a prosthetic hand (as part of MESA’s collaboration with the National Science Foundation funded Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering Research Center), and an oral presentation.
- 96% of participants felt that the material presented will help them become a better leader.
- 98% of participants would recommend the MESA Leadership Summit to a peer or classmate.
Special thanks to Ms. Maria Charles for her attendance and continued support of the MESA program, and sponsors Atkins Global Inc. and the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering Research Center.
Videos can be found at the San Diego MESA Alliance YouTube channel – Leadership Summit playlist.
Photo gallery (courtesy Jose Islas):
