Research shows that while many students express interest in STEM, far fewer go on to complete degrees in these fields, with significant disparities across race and gender. Our latest report spotlights the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program, which is designed to address these disparities. Utilizing interviews with national STEM leaders and California Community College MESA participants as well as qualitative data on MESA student outcomes, the report demonstrates the importance of tailored student success strategies to grow and strengthen California's STEM pipeline moving forward.