{"id":528387,"date":"2026-09-03T05:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T19:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=1043783"},"modified":"2026-09-03T05:01:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T19:01:05","slug":"nasa-revamps-challenge-linking-community-college-studies-to-aerospace-careers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=528387","title":{"rendered":"NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore aerospace jobs while competing for monetary awards.<\/p>\n

The applications period is currently open.<\/strong> The deadline to register is Monday, Sept. 28.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes this opportunity unique is that it’s one of few that is specifically for community college students,\u201d said Alicia Baturoni Cortez, project manager for NASA\u2019s Minority University Research and Education Project, which administers NCAS. \u201cThe NCAS student challenge is designed to meet their needs and broaden their career awareness so they can either go right into the workforce or expand their goals to include a four-year degree in STEM.\u201d<\/p>\n

A launch pad for new possibilities<\/h2>\n
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Kim Alexander, left, and Ashley Rodriguez pose for a photo at NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on their first day as interns in January 2024.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Erik Lopez<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

For NASA interns Kim Alexander and Ashley Rodriguez, NCAS became an unexpected springboard from community college to new careers.<\/p>\n

After eight years as a bartender, Alexander was looking for a way to launch her career. She enrolled at Riverside Community College in Riverside, California, originally intending to pursue graphic design \u2013 but fell in love with math instead. Alexander participated in NCAS hoping it would look good on her resume and university transfer application. She ended up on a winning team that designed a human mission to Mars. The experience influenced her entire career trajectory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just completely overwhelmed by how amazing the program was,\u201d said Alexander, who went on to participate in other NASA student opportunities. \u201cBut NCAS was the most monumental, because I really started thinking, \u2018Hey, I could pursue a career in this. This is feasible.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez grew up in South Florida, where she watched space shuttle launches but never considered a career at NASA. Instead, she gained experience in various roles and was parenting a toddler by the time she went back to school at Miami-Dade Community College seeking an IT degree. That\u2019s where she first heard about NCAS, which ultimately set her on a path to a career in strategic communications.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI did an infographic on laser relay communications. I knew nothing about it, then I felt like a pro by the end.\u201d <\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"Ashley<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Ashley Rodriguez<\/p>\n

NASA Intern<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The experience showed her the importance of strategic communications at NASA and helped her to discover a field she enjoys.<\/p>\n

In January 2024, Rodriguez and Alexander started NCAS-funded NASA internships in the agency\u2019s Aerosciences Evaluation and Test Capabilities Portfolio Office, where they met their mentor, Data and Analytics Manager Erik Lopez.<\/p>\n

Today, both have earned university degrees and are starting NASA Pathways internships that could lead directly to full-time NASA employment. Rodriguez is working as a strategic communications intern in the Engineering Performance Management Office at the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, while Alexander is beginning an engineering role supporting the Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities Project at the agency\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were the first two NCAS alumni interns; they literally onboarded together,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cAnd the fact that they now both get to come back to the agency as Pathways interns just brings me so much joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

NCAS relaunches with updated mission, prize potential<\/h2>\n

Stories like Alexander\u2019s and Rodriguez\u2019s illustrate the impact NCAS can have, and underscore why the program\u2019s updated mission aims to reach even more community college students.<\/p>\n

This school year, NCAS is launching with a two-part mission. The cohort phase, which runs through fall, calls on students to participate in live virtual experiences with NASA experts and submit materials detailing a connection between their current coursework and a role at NASA. Faculty members are key to encouraging students who might not envision themselves in a NASA role. Up to 1,000 submissions will be eligible for a $500 award.<\/p>\n

Those who successfully complete this phase will be invited to take part in the next phase, a spring virtual NCAS career fair linking them to experts and industry career opportunities. Upon completion of the career fair, students may submit additional materials for prizes of $250, for up to 500 of the top submissions. <\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat NCAS does is bring the stars down to ground level. It allows students a risk-free exploration of what could be.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"Alicia<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Alicia Baturoni Cortez<\/p>\n

Project Manager, NASA\u2019s Minority University Research and Education Project<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

To explore NCAS timelines and eligibility requirements and take your education to the next level, visit: https:\/\/nasa-ncas.org\/student-overview\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15648,15649],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-528387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-for-colleges-universities","category-learning-resources"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t