College of Science & Engineering

The exclusive eight-month program, part of a national initiative that includes 23 universities selected by Apple, provides one-on-one mentorship, exposure to technical careers and opportunities for professional growth. Each student is paired with an Apple engineer for monthly guidance on everything from resume building to networking and technical deep-dives.

For many students, the program represents more than just career preparation — it’s a chance to rethink what’s possible.

“I’m so excited to be in this program to get an inside look into the industry, especially Apple. I hadn’t considered Apple a possibility for myself until now,” said Albany Lansang, a third-year SFSU Mechanical Engineering student. “I hope to gain meaningful connections with my mentor, of course, and also between us mentees, and knowledge that will help guide me through the rest of my college career and eventually through my professional career.”

Connie Lee, a third-year SFSU Computer Engineer, echoed the excitement. “I love computers. I love technology. It’s one of the first passions I had as a kid,” Lee said. “Honestly, Apple is a little bit of my dream company.”

At the campus announcement event, SFSU President Lynn Mahoney congratulated the students. “I think there’s probably no more iconic company for the Bay Area than Apple, so congratulations,” President Mahoney told the students. “You came here to study, but your ultimate goal is to have a rewarding career. The link between your studies and career is what you’re doing right now.”

During the program, students will be paired with an Apple engineer who will dedicate time each month to share knowledge and support the student’s growth. Mentees will also have access to career development skills and strategies, including crafting effective resumes, taking deep dives into Apple products, leveraging LinkedIn, and more.

A native of Hayward who grew up in Castro Valley and is now a geography major at SFSU, Angela knew even before she went to college that she wanted to devote her professional energies to improving communities. As the first recipient of the Max Kirkeberg Scholarship, she is well on her way to making her mark in the lives of others, connecting them to and drawing strength and connectedness from the environment.

“I believe my deep interest in ecosystems was shaped early on by my parents’ influence,” says Angela. “As Peruvians, their connection to the natural world is rooted in a culture where nature and daily life are deeply intertwined — especially given Peru's diverse geography and rich array of ecosystems.

“My father is from the northern Peruvian Amazon, from a small town called Huambo, located about two hours from the culturally significant Andean town of Chachapoyas. Growing up, he would often share his extensive knowledge of local birds and plants with me, sparking my curiosity and appreciation for biodiversity,” Angela says. “He always referred to other living beings as if they were relatives or other people. My perspective and passion for the environment has been shaped by the traditional ways of life that my dad lived through and that long defined this region.”

"Growing up in the Bay Area, I carried with me stories from my family that instilled a deep connection to nature.” 
—Angela Tafur

Anegla’s mother grew up in the bustling capital of Lima, but became familiar with many Peruvian cultural nature stories and medicinal plant knowledge that she passed on to Angela.

“Growing up in the Bay Area, I carried with me stories from my family that instilled a deep connection to nature,” says Angela. “However, I quickly realized that the way people engaged with the outdoors in California — through camping, summer camps, or scouting — was very different from my family's perception or experiences with nature. As immigrants, neither of my parents were familiar with these modes of outdoor recreation.”

Angela recalls a special moment outdoors with her father that instilled a deep connection to nature. “I’ll never forget the moment my father tearfully hugged a redwood tree in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, in awe of its beauty and gratitude for its existence amidst historic loggings in the area,” she says. “Experiences like this made me reflect on how culture, background, and access shape our relationships with nature and the area that we visit or reside in.”

“My passion for science began at San Francisco State University in 1970, when I took a molecular biology course taught by Dr. Sarane Bowen,” Fong recalls. “That class sparked my fascination with DNA and RNA and their essential roles in the life of cells.”

That spark led Fong to pursue a Ph.D. at Indiana University and postdoctoral research at UCLA and the National Institutes of Health. In 1984, he founded Clontech Laboratories. “What began in the classroom at SFSU became the foundation for a company that grew to nearly 400 employees over 15 years,” he says. Clontech rose to become one of the largest biomedical tool companies founded by an Asian American in the U.S. before its acquisition by Becton Dickinson in 1999. Fong later launched Kenson Ventures, LLC, a Silicon Valley–based venture capital firm that has invested in and mentored numerous biotech companies through IPOs and acquisitions.

Reflecting on his career, Fong says, “I have come to value sustainability and continuity — principles that guide both my professional endeavors and my contributions to the scientific community.” These principles, together with his gratitude for the opportunities afforded by his education in the U.S. as an immigrant from Hong Kong, continue to inspire his deep connection to SFSU. Over the years, he has given generously of his time, expertise, and philanthropy.

“My passion for science began at San Francisco State University in 1970, when I took a molecular biology course taught by Dr. Sarane Bowen. That class sparked my fascination with DNA and RNA and their essential roles in the life of cells.”  
—Kenneth S. Fong (B.A., ’71; M.A., ’74), Ph.D.

In 2014, he endowed the Kenneth S. Fong Translational Research Award at SFSU, designed to support faculty and student collaborations and innovation in perpetuity. “By generating discoveries that can attract funding from NIH, NSF, and other sources,” Fong says, “the program creates a self-sustaining cycle of research, innovation, and impact.”

Since its launch, the award has funded 11 interdisciplinary projects, engaging 27 faculty and 75 students. These projects have spanned fields as diverse as biomedical engineering, chemistry, biology, physics, and computer science — from robotic exoskeletons for stroke rehabilitation, to breast cancer treatments using diverse ancestry cell lines, to advances in prosthetic arm technology. Collectively, the research has secured more than $21 million in additional funding from national agencies including the NIH, NSF, NASA, and the Department of Defense.

For SFSU student research assistant Charlie Vidal Sanchez (B.S., Civil Engineering, ’20; M.S., Structural & Earthquake Engineering, ’21), the support was life-changing. “It was at SFSU that I saw all the doors open for me where they were once closed, potential seen in me when there was once none, and where I took advantage of every opportunity I could,” he says. With the confidence and experience gained from his participation in Fong-supported research, Charlie went on to win first place in the CSU Research Competition, earn a master’s degree through SFSU’s accelerated program, and launch his own construction company. 

“It was at SFSU that I saw all the doors open for me where they were once closed, potential seen in me when there was once none, and where I took advantage of every opportunity I could.”  
—Charlie Vidal Sanchez (B.S., Civil Engineering, ’20; M.S., Structural & Earthquake Engineering, ’21), who assisted with Fong-awarded research as an SFSU student