Our MESA Student Spotlight features students who inspire our community through their academic commitment, leadership, and perseverance. These stories showcase the many paths our students take in STEM and the impact MESA has along the way.
Nagham Almerie
Nagham (she/her) is a second-year Physics and Mathematics major whose love for STEM started long before college. Growing up in Jordan, science and math always made the most sense to her thanks to teachers who made physics exciting and a family that encouraged her curiosity. When she moved to the U.S. late in high school and chose GWC during a period of uncertainty, she didn’t expect to find a second home so quickly. MESA reminded her of the leadership roles she enjoyed such as Link Crew at Westminster High School and gave her a place full of people who think, dream, and work with the same drive she does.
She is the kind of student who genuinely enjoys learning whether it is physics, math, engineering, or anything that challenges her. Nagham hopes to earn a master's degree in physics or engineering (with a growing interest in mechanical & aerospace engineering) and is aiming for campuses such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, or UC San Diego. She has been deeply involved during her time at Golden West College, participating in Puente, Aspire, MESA, serving as a tutor, peer mentor, MESA Club president, and taking part in programs such as the Future Leaders Initiative at UCI and NASA L’Space Academy. Balancing family responsibilities, heavy course loads, and extracurriculars takes real discipline, but her time management skills and determination help her stay "locked-in" each semester.
For Nagham, MESA has been a game changer. She has built meaningful friendships, found encouragement among other high achieving students, and even jokes that the MESA Office is her second office. A standout moment was the Great Minds in STEM San Diego conference, which shifted her thinking about transferring and showed her that she can thrive even far from home. With her outgoing energy and grounded outlook, her advice to new STEM students is simple: “Make sure you truly connect with what you study because passion is what carries you through the toughest challenges.”
