Community college students nationwide have a new opportunity to explore careers in aerospace, science, engineering and technology through NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scientist (NCAS) Student Challenge. The program helps students learn about NASA’s mission, connect with NASA experts, explore STEM careers and compete for cash prizes.
Applications are currently open. The registration deadline is Monday, September 28.
“What makes this opportunity unique is that it is one of the few opportunities specifically targeted at community college students,” said Alicia Batuloni-Cortez, project manager for NASA’s Minority College Research and Education Project, which manages NCAS. “The NCAS Student Challenge is designed to meet their needs and expand their career awareness, allowing them to enter the workforce immediately or expand their goals to include a four-year degree in STEM.”
For NASA interns Kim Alexander and Ashley Rodriguez, the NCAS Student Challenge provided an unexpected pathway from community college to promising careers at NASA.
After working as a bartender for eight years, Kim Alexander was looking for a way to begin a new career. Alexander enrolled at Riverside Community College in Riverside, California, intending to study graphic design before discovering a passion for mathematics. Alexander joined NCAS to strengthen a resume and college transfer applications but ultimately became part of the winning team that planned a crewed mission to Mars. The experience helped shape Alexander’s career goals.
“I was completely blown away by how great the program was,” Alexander said. Alexander later participated in additional student opportunities at NASA. “But NCAS was the most monumental because I really started thinking, ‘Maybe I can pursue a career with this. This is possible.’”
Ashley Rodriguez grew up in South Florida, where she watched space shuttle launches, but never imagined pursuing a career at NASA. After gaining experience in several fields and raising a toddler, Rodriguez returned to school at Miami-Dade Community College to earn an information technology degree. That is where Rodriguez first learned about NCAS, a program that eventually led to a career in strategic communications.
Ashley Rodriguez
NASA Intern
The NCAS experience introduced Rodriguez to the importance of strategic communications at NASA and helped her discover a field she enjoys.
In January 2024, Rodriguez and Alexander began NCAS-funded internships with NASA’s Aeronautical Science Evaluation and Test Capability Portfolio Office. There, they met their mentor, Data and Analytics Manager Eric Lopez.
Both interns have since earned college degrees and begun NASA Pathways internships that could lead to full-time employment at the agency. Rodriguez is working as a strategic communications intern in the Office of Engineering Performance Management at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Alexander is beginning an engineering role supporting flight demonstration and capability projects at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
“They were the first two NCAS graduate interns and literally joined the agency together,” Lopez said. “The fact that both of them were able to return to NASA as Pathways interns makes me very happy.”
Stories like those of Alexander and Rodriguez demonstrate the impact the NCAS Student Challenge can have on community college students and highlight why the program’s newest mission is designed to reach more aspiring STEM professionals.
This year’s NCAS Student Challenge includes two phases. During the cohort phase, which runs through the fall, students will take part in live virtual experiences with NASA experts and submit materials explaining how their current coursework connects to careers at NASA. Faculty members play an important role by encouraging students who may not have previously considered a career with NASA. Up to 1,000 participants will receive a $500 prize.
Students who successfully complete the first phase will be invited to the Spring Virtual NCAS Career Fair, where they can connect with professional and industry career opportunities. After the career fair, participants may submit additional materials, and the top 500 students will receive a $250 prize.
Alicia Batuloni-Cortez
Project Manager, NASA Minority University Research and Education Project
To review NCAS timelines, eligibility requirements and application information, visit the NASA Community College Aerospace Scientist Student Challenge overview.
Source: www.nasa.gov