MESA students excel at statewide STEM Student Leadership Conference

Ruben Orozco and Kevin Padilla (l-r)Cerritos College’s mechanical engineering and MESA program students, Ruben Orozco and Kevin Padilla, participated in the invite-only Student Leadership Conference for STEM students from November 7-9.

Presented by the statewide MESA, the conference brought together hand-picked engineering and computer science students with industry professionals to develop the next generation of STEM leaders. Held in San Francisco, this year’s conference challenged students to design a product or service (in about 30 hours) focused on addressing one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

Students had a unique chance to connect one-on-one and in small groups with company executives, engineers, and recruiters. Many often leave the conference with connections that lead to internships and full-time jobs. Students networked, attended leadership and communication workshops, and participated in a company expo along with the team challenge. 

Ruben and his team created a personal protection device that bypasses legal restrictions on pepper spray and tasers. It uses a chalk tablet to deter attackers and mark them for identification, along with an app to alert emergency contacts. “My key takeaways from the conference were incorporating user concerns into product design, understanding needs, and replicating my design process to lead a team in applying critical thinking and inspiring collaboration,” said Ruben. He plans to transfer in 2026 and ultimately aims to become a project manager.

Kevin’s team created the Guardian Cover, a steering wheel cover that detects blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and drowsiness. It alerts the driver and notifies emergency contacts via an app to promote safer driving. “This project taught me to turn an idea into a working concept with research, feedback, and teamwork,” said Kevin. “This experience taught me how to network, research, and connect with others in a way no class has ever done.” He hopes to transfer to UC Berkeley and work in either renewable energy research or propulsion/aviation engineering.

Ruben and Kevin were among attendees selected from 46 community colleges, CSUs, UCs, and private universities across California.