STEM Shadow Day
Program Overview
STEM Shadow Day, coordinated by the Santa Rosa Junior College MESA program and SRJC STEM Cluster Departments, is a two-part event that matches students with employers to gain insight into technical careers. One or more students shadow a professional in their field of study, for one day during the fall semester. STEM Shadow Day gives students the opportunity to observe and network with professionals, explore a career field, clarify career goals and interests, and function within a work environment.
Fall 2026 STEM Shadow Day Details
Part 1: Meet-and-Greet Dinner – Thursday, October 8th, 2026 6:00pm - 7:30pm
The first event is a dinner between students and professionals to set the stage for a successful site visit. The SRJC MESA program coordinate all activities at no cost to all participants. They will be paired with a professional in their field of interest and have the opportunity to connect with them and learn more about their career through the shadowing/site visit experience.
Part 2: Industry-Sponsored Student Site Visit
The second part of the event is a job shadow site visit facilitated by the industry sponsor and coordinated for a day before January 17, 2026. During a typical 1 - 3 hour site visit, students tour the company and "tag-along" or “shadow” their sponsor through a typical work day. Industry mentors are encouraged to provide detailed and technical insights on a project, as this increases a student’s knowledge and motivates content learning.
Participants
This event is open to MESA students ONLY.
The industry participants consist of Sonoma County technical firms specializing in engineering, biomedical research, science-based conservation, and education. Many of the participating firms are MESA Industry Advisory Board members and longtime supporters of Sonoma County STEM education.
Important information:
- MESA student sign-ups open on August 26th, 2026.
- Deadline for students to sign up: September 15th, 2026
- All students will be required to attend a workshop before STEM Shadow Day on September 30th
*All dates are subject to change.
