Reynolds Honors student Johana Aguero has big dreams for her
future, and her selection into the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars
program brought her one step closer to realizing those dreams.
The program gives STEM-focused (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) community college students
interested in NASA related careers an opportunity to participate in a five-week
online learning experience. The top
scoring scholars are subsequently invited to attend a four day workshop at a
NASA Center.
“I always knew I wanted to work for NASA; contribute to the
STEM society and leave my mark in history. However, it wasn’t until later in
2015 that I truly found my niche – engineering. Then it just made sense to me
to choose aerospace engineering.”
Aguero was one of about 400 students who participated in the
five-week online course June 27 through August 3. Based on her scores, she was
one of just 40 students invited to participate in the four day workshop at
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in late October.
At the Kennedy Space Center the students worked on projects
mentored by NASA engineers, attended briefings by engineers and scientists,
toured NASA facilities, and participated in a Mars rover competition. The group was divided into four teams of
10. Each team had to design, build, and
test a Mars rover, operating within budget constraints. At the end of the
competition the teams were judged and scored after presenting their results. Aguero’s
team finished in second place, barely missing out on top honors.
The students also had the opportunity to meet engineers who
worked on the shuttle program and space shuttle Columbia as well as the director of the
Kennedy Space Center and four-time astronaut Rob Cabana.
Aguero said, “This whole experience was invaluable exposure.
I can now visualize exactly what I’m working towards. My dream is to work for
NASA at the Kennedy Space Center.”
A current Reynolds Honors student, Aguero expects to graduate in May 2018 and plans to transfer
to the University of Virginia to study aerospace engineering.
