Soroptimist house hosts minority grads

Cal State Long Beach minority engineering program seniors met May 4 for a buffet meal and an informal graduation ceremony at the Soroptimist House.

The ceremony was introduced by an affable Emmitt Clark, the director of the MESA (mathematics, engineering,science, and achievement) program on campus. Clark said, "The purpose of the 15 year MESA program has been to recruit, retain, and graduate higher numbers of women and economically disadvantaged minorities."

Seniors, freshman, and advisory board committee members sat attentively in the small room with plates in hand or on their laps as Joe Naphier, Lead Executive for Workforce Diversity at Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, gave the audience some sound advice on how to ensure employability in today's global marketplace.

"Companies are running lean and mean with the best and the brightest," Naphier said, citing the major downsizing at the Long Beach Douglas Aircraft Company of approximately 40,000 employees over the last five years. Naphier said companies today are asking employees to do more than they have done in the past and lifetime employment with one company is no longer something an employee is going to be offered. Napier warned graduates and potential graduates to not stay focused in one area,but instead that they should gain broader areas of experience, and to stay current with changing technology.

Naphier also said that it was very important for graduates today to get their foot in the door, wherever that door might be. "If you have to start in Georgia to get back to a company in California, do it."

After Napier spoke, seniors were invited up front for a presentation of medals, and incoming freshman received tokens. Clark announced there were presently over 54 graduating seniors in the program.

"Many graduates of the program go on to work in local companies or sit on the MESA advisory board," said Clark.

Sarah Williams, a member of the MESA advisory board, said of the program, "It us the best in Southern California." Williams, who works for the Bechtel Corporation, also helps to coach individuals in the MESA program.