MESA has received national recognition for its success. MESA has been named as one of the most innovative public programs in the country by Innovations in American Government, a project of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Ford Foundation. MESA is a winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. MESA is the largest consortium of programs to receive National Science Foundation scholarships earmarked to support community college students who transfer to four-year institutions.

Many companies work with MESA http://www.ucop.edu/mesa/about/industpartners.html because they recognize that the program produces urgently-needed math, engineering, science and technology professionals. Companies provide MESA with equipment, technical resources, internships, and volunteers.

MESAs intersegmental education partners include all major education institutions in the state: the University of California, the California State University, California Community Colleges, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the California Department of Education, community-based education centers, school districts and individual schools.

MESAs programs provide academic development support to students throughout the academic pathway. The MESA Schools Program http://www.ucop.edu/mesa/programs/schoolprogram.html assists pre-college students to succeed in math and science studies and go on to college in math-based fields.