For Stephen Hidalgo, the path to higher education was anything but straightforward. Born in Chicago and raised in Mexico during the first years of his life, Hidalgo returned to Chicago where he faced years of hardship, trauma, and isolation growing up as a gay student. At 25, he and his mother made a life changing decision to move to San Diego in search of safety, stability, and a new beginning.

From Stepping Outside Her Comfort Zone to Center Stage: Meet Mesa College’s 2026 Commencement Speaker, Alina Vasilenko

San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College will honor its 2026 scholarship recipients during the 33rd Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 recognizing the academic excellence, resilience, and aspirations of its students. This year, the college will award nearly $250,000 across 114 scholarship opportunities, resulting in 281 individual awards to 202 students. Sixty students will receive multiple scholarships, underscoring both their accomplishments and the Mesa College community’s continued commitment to student success.

Dr. Isabel de los Angeles O’Connor, Vice President of Instruction at San Diego Mesa College and President of the California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers, has been named the 2025–2026 recipient of the Carter Doran Award.

San Diego, CA — San Diego Mesa College has been selected as one of eight institutions to receive funding through the College Futures Foundation’s Unlocking Economic Mobility for Adult Learners initiative. Mesa was chosen from a highly competitive pool of 223 applicants, recognizing the college’s commitment to advancing equitable outcomes for working adult learners.

San Diego Mesa College student Declan Mulvany has been accepted into the highly competitive Scripps Research Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, a 10-week internship offering hands-on experience in world-class laboratories.

San Diego Mesa College proudly celebrates Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah, Associate Professor, Equity and Engagement Librarian, and Learning Resources and Academic Support (LRAS) Department Chair and Mesa’s DEIA Coordinator, as the recipient of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Regina Stanback Stroud Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Antiracism, and Accessibility Award.

San Diego, CA — U.S. Department of State has recognized San Diego Mesa College as a Top Producer of Gilman Scholars for 2001–2025, highlighting the college’s leadership in supporting students who successfully apply for scholarships through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.