Mihir Desai’s engineering mind thrives with campus support
Mihir has been passionate about technology and engineering since childhood. His family
has always relied on him to troubleshoot technical issues, inspiring him to pursue
engineering and computer science degrees. As he continued his studies, he found that
he had an inherent ability to understand the inner workings of things just by observing
them. This innate talent, coupled with his problem-solving skills, solidified his
passion for engineering.
After finishing high school, Mihir and his family came to the United States from India in 2019. He obtained his GED at Cerritos College, where he received support right from the beginning. Mihir took a GED preparation course through The Partnership for Adult Academic and Career Education (PAACE) regional consortium, which assists adults in the Southeast Los Angeles region to be college and career-ready. As part of PAACE, he was eligible for the college’s California Promise program Cerritos Complete, which provided two years of free tuition for participating students. "This assistance was very significant for me. Without it, as an immigrant from India, I would have had to pay out-of-state tuition," Mihir said.
In 2022, Mihir started working as a student ambassador at Cerritos College. His responsibilities included leading campus tours, helping with campus events, and providing information to prospective students to promote the college. This role helped him develop leadership and public speaking skills. Additionally, Mihir took part in a paid internship at the Columbia Memorial Space Center through the college’s BE-STELLAR program, which prepared underserved college students to become STEM educators in fall 2022 and spring 2023. During the internship, Mihir assisted with the Challenger Learning Center Voyage to Mars, a field trip program for young students. He also had the opportunity to visit NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. On campus, Mihir served as a Senator in the student government during his sophomore year.
In 2023, Mihir earned associate degrees in mathematics, natural science, physics, and engineering with Honors. He then transferred to Cal State Long Beach to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Mihir continues to work as a student ambassador and plans to graduate in 2026. He hopes to secure a job as an engineer with a sponsor to further his education and pursue a master’s degree. Ultimately, Mihir aspires to establish his own engineering business.
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