RICHLAND, Washington — A $15,000 gift from Bechtel National Inc. to the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement program of Yakima Valley/Tri-Cities helped nearly 250 middle and high school students in Eastern Washington gain engineering experience at today’s MESA Day competition at Washington State University Tri-Cities.
The donation allowed about 60 teams of students from the Pasco, Granger and Sunnyside school districts to compete in challenges centered on the development and operation of prosthetic arms.
“With generous sponsorship and understanding of our mission for the future scientists, Bechtel once again made our MESA Day possible,” said Jorge Moreno, interim director and high school coordinator for YVTC MESA. “This experience provides more than 200 students something tangible that explains how their in-class learning translates to real-life STEM technology.”
The MESA program provides enriching educational opportunities that help build a pathway to college and careers in the science, technology, engineering and math fields for students who are currently underrepresented in those fields: African-American, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander and female.
A global leader in the engineering and construction industry, Bechtel has a corporate commitment to programs, such as MESA, that inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields. Former Bechtel president Stephen Bechtel Jr., helped mobilize corporate support for the national MESA program in 1978.
“Bechtel has a long history of supporting the MESA program,” said Bechtel’s Peggy McCullough, project director for the Waste Treatment Plant project. “This gift is an investment in the next generation of students who will lead the country in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.”
About Bechtel:
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates through five global business units that specialize in civil infrastructure; power generation, communications, and transmission; mining and metals; oil, gas, and chemicals; and government services. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 colleagues team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 50 countries www.bechtel.com.
At Hanford, Bechtel is designing and building the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. The Waste Treatment Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will immobilize the radioactive liquid waste stored in 177 underground tanks using a process called vitrification. For more information about the Vit Plant, visit www.hanfordvitplant.com.