Rooted in culture.
Driven by purpose.
MEChA x SHPE at Cal Poly Maritime Academy brings together cultural identity, academic achievement, leadership, service, and professional development.
Cultura
Celebrate our heritage, identities, and the diverse stories of our community.
Comunidad
Create meaningful connections, peer support, and a strong sense of belonging.
Oportunidad
Build leadership, academic confidence, professional relationships, and career readiness.
We know what it feels like to look for a community. So we started building one.
We are the student founders of MEChA x SHPE at Cal Poly Maritime Academy. As first-generation college students involved in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), we understand that finding belonging, academic support, and professional connections can take extra effort—especially while balancing demanding courses, cadet responsibilities, jobs, and life outside the classroom.
We believed students shouldn't have to navigate those challenges alone. We wanted a place where cultural identity and engineering ambition could exist together, where classmates could support one another, and where opportunities felt within reach.
How we got here
During our first year, we began discussing the idea of a student-led community that could connect cultural advocacy, peer support, and professional growth.
As sophomores, we developed that idea into an established MEChA x SHPE organization, working to create a lasting home for students at Cal Poly Maritime.
Our progress has been strengthened through the collaboration and guidance of Megan Nance, Director of Student Inclusion Initiatives, and Stephanie Francis, Director of Career Services. Their partnership has helped us connect student leadership with campus support and career-development resources as we work to turn our goals into meaningful opportunities.
Our vision is to support students from their first year through graduation and beyond. We're working toward stronger academic persistence and graduation outcomes, broader access to scholarships and mentors, more connections with engineering and maritime professionals, and more spaces for cultural representation and community leadership. These are goals we're pursuing—not results we're claiming to have achieved already.
We welcome alumni, industry professionals, campus partners, and other student chapters who want to share advice, lead a workshop, offer mentorship, or help us build opportunities for the next generation.
This is the story of our campus organization. For the origins and broader legacies of MEChA and SHPE, visit Our History.