Impact

For Jesika Geliga-Torres (’24), her journey in aerospace engineering stemmed from a combination of childhood fascination and a love for problem-solving. 

“Growing up in Puerto Rico, I was always inspired by the possibility of exploring unknown worlds,” she said. “I was captivated by space exploration and aviation, so the idea of contributing to advancements in these fields has been a driving force behind my pursuit of aerospace engineering. ” 

Jesika's passion for aerospace was ignited during high school by participating in STEM programs and competitions despite the limited opportunities for studying aerospace engineering in Puerto Rico. Jesika decided to pursue her passion by moving away from home to earn a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 

Finding Community

Jesika learned about Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus  through research and a recommendation from her high school advisor.

“Before applying, I came to visit the campus, and experiencing the vibrant aerospace community confirmed my decision to become an Eagle,” she said. “The opportunity to be part of a community dedicated to aerospace innovation and excellence was incredibly inspiring. I knew that Embry-Riddle was where I wanted to pursue my education.”

Driven by the university's esteemed reputation,  immersive learning environment and strong industry connections, Jesika was instantly drawn to the comprehensive aerospace programs and state-of-the-art facilities. 

“I want to emphasize how proud I am to come from Puerto Rico. My cultural heritage is an integral part of who I am, and it has shaped my perspective and values in profound ways,” she said. 

“Moving to Florida four years ago was a monumental step for me, and it required a considerable amount of resilience and hard work. Learning to navigate a new educational system, immerse myself in a different language and adjust to a new cultural environment presented unique challenges, but I am incredibly grateful for the growth and opportunities that have come from this experience.”

She knew that becoming an Eagle would open doors to endless possibilities and that it was the right path for her. 

Patti Grace Smith Fellowship

Jesika is among four Aerospace Engineering students from Embry-Riddle who have been selected to receive a 2024 Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, which guarantees paid internships at leading institutions, professional mentorship and grants of $2,500 or more.

“Being selected as a Patti Grace Smith Fellow was an incredible honor and a validating experience. It felt like a recognition of not just my academic achievements but also my dedication to overcoming systemic biases in the aerospace industry,” she explained. “It also felt like an inspiration and further validation that my hard work is paying off. It's truly an honor to be part of a program that aims to promote diversity and inclusion in aerospace careers.”

The Patti Grace Smith Fellowship program’s mission is to provide a meaningful, effective pathway into successful aerospace careers and future aerospace industry leadership to people whose race and ethnicity have made them subject to systemic bias.

Navigating the Industry

For Jesika, securing the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship holds profound personal significance. This fellowship represents far more than just a prestigious award — it stands as validation of her unwavering perseverance and determination to succeed despite obstacles.

“As a Latina woman in aerospace engineering, I've often faced challenges and biases that come with being underrepresented in this field,” she revealed. “I feel like I have had to work harder to get to where I am and to obtain the confidence and strength that I have in my abilities today, which makes me that much more grateful and proud of myself.”

As Jesika embarks on an exciting journey in the aerospace industry, she has learned that her fellowship will include an internship at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, among many other opportunities.

“It's incredibly thrilling to know that I'll be gaining hands-on career experiences at such a prestigious aerospace company. I hope to immerse myself in various projects related to deep space exploration and astrodynamics, leveraging the skills and knowledge I've gained through my research using augmented reality for trajectory design,” she said. “I'm eager to learn as much as I can and contribute meaningfully to the innovative work being done at this company.”

By overcoming challenges, Jesika has not only achieved personal and professional success but is also leading the way for greater diversity and inclusion within the industry. 

Opportunities Awaits

Beyond the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship and the internship with Lockheed Martin, Jesika plans to return to Embry-Riddle in the fall to earn her M.S. in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on dynamics and controls. Her goal is to pursue a career in aerospace engineering that allows her to make meaningful contributions to the field while advocating for diversity and inclusion.

“My dream job is to work on innovative projects that push the boundaries of space exploration and contribute to advancements in aerospace technology. I am particularly interested in deep space exploration.”

With her sights set on becoming a leader in aerospace, Jesika aims not only to leave her mark on the industry but also to inspire future generations of diverse aerospace professionals, shaping a more inclusive and innovative future for space exploration. 

To read more on previous student accomplishments, visit Embry‑Riddle’s Office of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships and apply today!

Originally from Monroe, Louisiana, Benjamin Carter followed his interests in aviation and aerospace to Embry-Riddle, where he earned a Patti Grace Smith Fellowship.

At age 16, Benjamin Carter (’25) became interested in aerospace engineering and becoming a pilot. After a summer internship filled with learning more about aviation and beginning to work toward his pilot’s license, Carter was fully committed and made plans to pursue both passions.

With the help of his mother, he began to look for universities where he could continue learning and gaining experience in aviation and aerospace. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University stood out as a top contender.

“Once I visited the Daytona Beach Campus, I immediately knew that’s where I wanted to further my education. The campus is top-notch. There were so many areas that impressed me. The state-of-the-art facilities and labs were the true determining factor for me,” he remembered.

The Patti Grace Smith Fellowship

At Embry-Riddle, the student experience is often characterized by opportunity and connection.

In 2024, four Aerospace Engineering students from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University were selected to receive Patti Grace Smith Fellowships, which guarantees paid internships at leading organizations, professional mentorship and grants of $2,500 or more. Benjamin Carter was one of those four students.

“I am very excited and grateful to be selected as a Patti Grace Smith Fellow. I was aware of how competitive the process would be, so I am truly honored to know that I am granted such an awesome opportunity,” Carter said. “I know that there are some bright students in various fields of STEM, so I am feeling wonderful to know that I am selected for such an achievement.”

By definition, the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship aims to “provide a meaningful, effective pathway into successful aerospace careers and future aerospace industry leadership to people whose race and ethnicity has made them the subject of systemic bias.” For Carter, this selection means he is on “the right track.”

“This honor encourages me to believe that... I will have a successful career in the aerospace industry regardless of my color and race,” Carter said. “Personally, this honor is a boost to my confidence and spirit. I always try to support and encourage others. Having so many people of various races and backgrounds support me and recognize this achievement encourages me to keep working hard.”

As with all Patti Grace Smith fellows, Carter has earned an internship with a leading industry organization – his being Northrop Grumman. Eager to begin, Carter is looking forward to an opportunity to apply the knowledge he has gained while on campus.

“Saying that I am excited to work with leaders in aerospace and in such a highly recognized corporation who are pioneers in the aerospace industry is a great understatement,” he said.

Remembering the extensive application process and series of interviews with various organizations he undertook while applying for the fellowship, Carter shared how he was able to secure his place – by exemplifying his hard work, experience and dedication.

“I made sure that I was prepared to present the knowledge that I was gaining from courses at Embry-Riddle,” he recalled. “I researched each corporation and prepared to present myself as a knowledgeable young man who is open to learning and working with others. I appreciated how the process allowed me to showcase who I am as a person and not just academically.”

The Embry-Riddle Experience

While earning his degree, Carter has dedicated his time outside of class to pursuing his pilot’s license and he now holds a Private Pilot ASEL License with his instrument rating.

“Being an Aerospace Engineering student as well as a pilot, I have been able to correlate knowledge from both perspectives, which has aided me in having a greater understanding of aviation. I absolutely love engineering and studying the factors within it. However, the same can be said for my love of flying,” he said.

While crediting his education with boosting his flight experience and vice versa, Carter has two options for a career path, and he hopes to fall somewhere in the middle of both fields.

“My love for both engineering and flight are equal. My dream would be to become an aerospace engineer or an airline pilot. If God would permit, I would love to have the opportunity to experience both careers,” he shared.

“As for now, I will continue with my studies toward my degree and continue obtaining the next licenses and ratings needed to obtain my Airline Transport License. One never knows what the future has in store for them, so the best thing to do is take it one step at a time.”

Ready to chase your dreams at Embry-Riddle? Apply now.

Olivia Munisi (’24) chose to pursue her degree in Aerospace Engineering due to a deep-rooted passion for space that sparked early in her life.

“Growing up in DC and visiting the Air and Space Museum was an experience in which seeing the incredible breakthroughs in aerospace technology ignited a spark within me,” she remembered. “As I got older, I wanted to challenge myself and choose a career that aligned with my interests and aspirations.”

As Munisi’s passion for aerospace grew, she decided to enroll at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she became involved in exciting research and found a sense of belonging within the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which provided plentiful academic, personal and professional opportunities.

Research at Embry-Riddle

During her junior year, Munisi was invited to complete undergraduate research on analysis and software for the rocket stage of engine design.

“Although it is a challenge, it really opened doors for me. For this research, we are designing and analyzing the operation for a scramjet rocket stage (hybrid engine) that will be specifically suited for SSTO (Single Stage to Orbiting) vehicles.”

Essentially, Munisi is assisting in the creation of an engine for rockets that can travel from Earth to space in just one stage.

Her research allowed her to recently travel to California, where researchers from Embry-Riddle attended the annual National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) to share their progress and findings.

Looking ahead, Munisi plans to remain involved through the project's completion and ultimately contribute to applying for a patent.

National Society of Black Engineers

The mission statement of NSBE is "to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."

Students who join NSBE have opportunities to connect with peers on their campus, interact with students from other schools, engage in career development and attend various networking events.

The highlight of NSBE involvement is the Annual Convention, which brings together students from over 600 chapters across the United States and abroad.

“Throughout my experience with NSBE, I attended various events, such as conferences, which have opened doors to multiple offers and interviews,” Munisi recalled, remembering offers she received from companies such as Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company, General Dynamics and NASA.

NSBE events are filled with innovation and excitement outside of career development, with everything from competitions to educational programs and more.

“I was also a part of the Boeing Glider Competition at the NSBE Conference, where we created a free flight glider to achieve a [specified] glide distance. Last year we won first place; this year we won third place,” Munisi said.

Furthermore, Munisi recalled one of her favorite NSBE experiences – building rockets.

“I participated in NSBE’s CORE (Creative Original Research Engineering) program. With the help of ERFSEDS (Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society), I was able to build a model rocket and launch it. Later, I built and launched another rocket, successfully achieving a Level 1 High Power Rocket certification.”

Munisi’s hard work with NSBE and throughout her academic career culminated when she was offered a position as a Design and Test Analysis Engineer at The Boeing Company, which she will assume after graduation.

Inspiration & Motivation

Behind Munisi’s passion for finding success in her field are her own pillars of faith, innovation and representation.

“Faith plays a significant role in my life, providing me with guidance, strength, and purpose to stay committed to my goals,” she shared.

“For innovation, I am excited and motivated to have the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking advancements that shape the future of space exploration.”

Munisi hopes to make her mark within the aerospace industry and aims to one day find a role at NASA that will allow her to do so. But her vision extends beyond her individual aspirations — she emphasizes the importance of representation and diversity in her field.

“Representation matters,” she said. “I am committed to advocating for greater diversity and inclusion in the aerospace industry. As a woman and a woman of color, I recognize the importance of breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of diverse engineers. I am motivated by the opportunity to be a role model and to inspire others to contribute to creating a more inclusive industry.”

Munisi also cites her friends and family as major sources of inspiration for her achievement and success, thanks to the support they provide throughout her journey. Reflecting on her own experiences throughout her studies and within her involvement in NSBE, Munisi offered a word of advice for future Eagles.

“It's okay to not know everything; keep pushing and try your best. Don’t be shy, and get involved in organizations because you never know what there is in store for you and what opportunities may come along within the organizations.”

Boosting the number of women working in STEM starts with igniting the passion of young girls for pursuing careers in STEM.

That was among the goals for the recent Introduce a Girl to Engineering Workshop (IGEW) organized and hosted by the Society of Women Engineers Collegiate Section at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach Campus.

The free event on February 17 is part of a larger nationwide effort by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) to get young girls excited about and involved in STEM. The Embry-Riddle workshop drew 141 Volusia County girls in third, fourth and fifth grades for activities designed to challenge, intrigue and educate.

“Some key things that we wanted to teach the girls is that there is a whole world of opportunity for them within STEM and that there are many disciplines within the engineering field,” said Maegan Lucas, a Software Engineering major who was among the prime organizers of the workshop.

SWE Volunteers Step Up for STEM

Maegan and 43 other SWE chapter executive officers and volunteers spent months planning the event, and each had to complete background checks, obtain youth protection certificates and attend in-person training.

Countless hours were spent behind the scenes creating learning modules, tracking down materials and testing the experiments the young girls would do, said Claudia Ehringer Lucas, assistant professor of Engineering and the faculty advisor for STEM Outreach and the student SWE chapter.

“I am grateful for their dedication to providing this amazing opportunity to our local community,” she said. “The volunteers were kind, optimistic, reassuring and, most of all, enthusiastic.”

That optimism and enthusiasm resonated with the young girls who attended and left a lasting impression.

“I had so much fun and learned lots of things,” said Mila, a student at Pathways Elementary. “I met many different people and made new friends. I can't wait for the next event.”

“I enjoyed all three years I participated, and I am sad that I will not be able to participate next year,” said Hailey, currently in fifth grade at Tomoka Elementary. “But I look forward to all the other STEM opportunities that SWE provides throughout the year."

Events Engineered to Make Learning Fun

The SWE workshop featured five activities that the girls moved through in different groups. The engineering-based exercises focused on various disciplines and included an oil spill module for environmental engineering, balloon cars and paddle boats for Mechanical Engineering, spaghetti towers for Civil Engineering, and slingshot rockets and zipline balloons for Aerospace Engineering.

Each task required that the groups work together to understand the obstacles and create appropriate solutions.

“I was in one of the oil spill rooms, so my favorite moment was watching as the girls got excited about the activity and truly started to grasp the effect oil spills have on the environment,” Maegan said.

Seeing those “a-ha” moments happen for the young girls was among the top takeaways for Maegan, who is in her third year as part of the IGEW committee responsible for planning the event, which was captured this year in photos posted on the SWE at ERAU Facebook page.

“I got involved because I did not have much exposure to STEM fields as an option in school, so I wanted to be a part of showing the girls of Volusia County that they can do anything they set their minds to, especially joining STEM fields,” she said.

The Many Benefits of Giving Back

Although the intention of the SWE members was to give back, being part of the workshop also had significant benefits for them as well.

“It provides them with the opportunity to practice important skills that will be used in their careers,” Ehringer Lucas said. “To make this event successful, they must collaborate as a team by communicating, organizing and problem-solving, very much what the elementary school students must do in order to complete the modules our volunteers created.”

The ongoing success of the “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Workshop” highlights just some of the ways that Embry-Riddle students are empowered to share their skills and directly impact generations that will follow them to college and beyond.

It is among the many opportunities students have to build hands-on experience and help shape the future while they are still earning their degrees.

“I am truly glad I got to experience this event for three of my years at Embry-Riddle,” Maegan said. “I am excited to see the event continue to inspire girls within the community.”

Meet Some of the Eagles Shaping the Future of Women in STEM!

Jemma Amato

Jemma Amato is a junior studying Aerospace Engineering from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is her second year in SWE and first year on the IGEW committee. Jemma’s love for engineering started when a program similar to IGEW came to her middle school.
At Embry-Riddle, she is also part of the Sigma Kappa sorority and a member of the Design Build Fly team. She is passionate about engineering and is excited to share that passion with a new generation of girls.

Ashley Cathon

Ashley Cathon is a sophomore in Mechanical Engineering with a double minor in Project Management and Computer Science. She is from Titusville, Florida, where she can watch rocket launches up close. This is her second year in SWE, and she was part of the campus events committee before joining the IGEW committee to help inspire young girls from all around to find a passion and love for engineering.
Ashley is also a part of the Microgravity Club and the RASC-AL Competition Club.

Grace Lavold

Grace Lavold is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering. She is from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and loves to crochet and read in her free time. This is her second year in SWE and her first year on the IGEW committee. She’s excited to be a part of the committee and help inspire and spark interest in engineering for young girls in the area.  

Maegan Lucas

Maegan Lucas is a senior Software Engineering student. This is her fourth year in SWE and her third year on the IGEW committee. She loves to read and is always free to talk about books.
Maegan grew up in the northern Panhandle of Florida, where you can see practically all of the stars in the Milky Way, which started her love and curiosity for space and led her to Embry-Riddle.

Reagan Muehlbauer

Reagan Muehlbauer is a sophomore Aerospace Engineering student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is her second year in SWE and first year on the IGEW committee. She loves to bake cookies and spend time at the beach.
Reagan is also a member of the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Laboratory and wants to help young girls find a passion for engineering and inspire them to achieve their dreams.

Katie Swenson

SWE President Katie Swenson is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering, and she is from Marietta, Georgia. She loves cuddling with her dog, painting and playing roller derby.
This is her third year in SWE and her first in an executive role. She’s learned so much from her role as president and was honored to have the opportunity to lead in the planning of IGEW. She hopes that each young woman found a passion for engineering and was able to recognize their strengths.

Ashlyn Thorpe

Ashlyn Thorpe is a senior studying Engineering Physics and is from Sacramento, California. This is her first year in SWE and IGEW. Ashlyn’s love for engineering began when she was very young when exposure to local STEM museums sparked an interest in space that has stayed strong ever since.
She is involved in the Amateur Astronomy Club and loves bringing the Daytona Beach community onto campus for Astronomy Open Houses. She joined IGEW to inspire young girls to enter the aerospace industry and nurture their love for space and science.

Cami Winkel

Cami Winkel is a freshman in Aerospace Engineering from Chicago, Illinois. This is her first year in SWE and her first year on the IGEW committee. Cami’s passion for engineering began in her high school’s Girls in STEM program.
At Embry-Riddle, she is also a member of Women in Aviation, the Honors Student Association and the RASC-AL Competition Club. In her free time, she loves to go to the beach and spend time with friends. She is excited to be involved with the community and help bring girls together for engineering.

Cory Hoit’s love of aerospace engineering started early, and it was the American Rocketry Challenge experience during his senior year of high school that ultimately helped land him at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University.

“Some of my friends had heard of the American Rocketry Challenge and so I decided to look into it,” said Cory (’27), now a freshman Aerospace Engineering major at the Daytona Beach Campus. “I had previously built and launched smaller scale model rockets for fun, but to have specific design requirements and objectives seemed challenging and interesting.” 

What is the American Rocketry Challenge?

Cory’s participation earned him a scholarship from the ARC, which gives nearly 5,000 high school students in the U.S. the chance to learn the basics of rocket flight by designing, building and launching model rockets.

The process, which leads to a nationwide competition, helps participants solidify their STEM skills, provides hands-on engineering experience and ultimately helps some of the students with their college tuition.

A native of Brighton, Colorado, Cory’s early interests aside from engineering included volunteering for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies to help kids learn about the environment and the importance of conservation. 

He attended Erie High School, which offered an aerospace engineering program where students could take engineering classes throughout high school, capped off by a final class that involved them choosing an engineering competition to enter.

That’s where the ARC came in.

How Students Can Design, Build and Fly Rockets

“It was a unique experience for me,” Cory said. “It was the first time working in a group that involved hands-on design and was all led by students.”

Beyond exposing students to all aspects of rocket design and building, the ARC program is also geared toward creating a well-rounded experience that goes beyond engineering.

For Cory, this included learning about fundraising to help pay for the project and also exploring lean management principles such as Kanban, which was developed by an engineer at Toyota to improve manufacturing efficiency and gets its name from cards that tracked production.

There were other key lessons as well, Cory said.

“It taught me a lot about setting up a project timeline, overcoming unforeseen obstacles, such as losing half of a rocket, along with designing and creating actual parts,” he said. “It also taught the importance of being on a successful team that had good communication.”

Why Choose Embry‑Riddle for Aerospace Engineering?

That type of real-world experience helped pave Cory’s path to Embry‑Riddle, the world’s leading aviation and aerospace educator, which itself is renowned for giving students the key hands-on experience today’s top employers are seeking.

“I chose Embry‑Riddle for my degree because I have heard really good things about their aerospace engineering program, along with smaller class sizes and great professors,” he said. “They also offered Engineering Physics, which I was interested in.”

The ARC scholarship has helped Cory cope with some of the costs that come from investing in a great education.

“Finding additional money for my college experience allowed me to focus more on studying and academic work without worrying about trying to find a job,” he said.

As he gets ready for the second half of his first year at Embry‑Riddle, Cory already has his sights set on the future, and he’s primed for whatever comes next.

“My ultimate career goal is to get my bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and to pursue a position in the field,” he said. “Embry‑Riddle can help me with this goal because they offer an accelerated program in aerospace engineering in which I can get my master's degree.” 

What goals could you reach here? Apply at Embry‑Riddle today and find out.

Adam Jain’s fascination with space started early when he began to understand the “mystery and greatness” of black holes, and it grew exponentially when he realized he could build rockets that powered human exploration of the cosmos.

“What piqued my interest was learning about the Space Shuttle and what happened with Apollo 13,” said Adam (’27), an Aerospace Engineering major. “Seeing the complexity and intricate design that went into every part and made a vessel that could carry humans into the great unknown just blew my mind. It sounds like fiction, that something so crazy and powerful could be built from the ground up.”

Adam is building his career as a rocket scientist the same way, from the ground up. And his quest is getting a boost from a scholarship he earned through his two years as part of the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) at Morristown High School in his native New Jersey.

What Is The American Rocketry Challenge?

The American Rocketry Challenge gives nearly 5,000 high school students in the U.S. the chance to learn by designing, building and launching model rockets, a process that helps solidify their STEM skills and provides hands-on engineering experience.

“It helped me learn more about everything that I wanted to learn about,” Adam said of his ARC experience. “It advanced my skills beyond what I thought would be possible, and I also made great friends and great memories through the club.”

The scholarship from ARC also helped when Adam decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus.

“It gave me the opportunity to come here because I did need a bit of financial help,” he said.

Adam’s lofty academic and career goals first came into focus for him when he started at Morristown High, the same school his mother and her parents attended.

He felt comfortable there right away and began exploring things such as marching band, sports and, of course, the rocket club. After taking engineering electives and joining ARC in his junior year, Adam decided to go all in.

“I got a feeling for what engineering really is,” he said. “I was able to understand how rockets work and what goes into building them.”

That understanding fueled Adam’s growing passion for spaceflight and sparked his desire to learn as much as he could. As he immersed himself in the first project, he decided that he wanted to lead the ARC team one day.

“I asked to shadow some of the seniors on the project,” he said. “At first it was a daunting task trying to keep up with everything, but as I got to know the seniors better, it became easier to ask questions, get answers and be trusted to contribute. The biggest takeaways from my junior year in ARC were getting involved, getting to know others and asking questions.”

One of the high school seniors Adam got to know was Alexander Rocca (’26), who entered Embry-Riddle’s Aerospace Engineering program in 2022 after helping guide Adam in his quest to lead the Morristown High rocket club.

Sure enough, Adam was tapped to serve as president the following year.

“That was really awesome,” he said. “I was nervous going in, but I was able to look back to my previous year for inspiration. I made sure that the groups were running smoothly, and I taught whenever I had the chance. I also got to do more work with the laser cutters and 3D printing, which added to my skill set.”

Adam also learned another lesson that is key for success in any profession: how to handle and bounce back from adversity.

“We didn't qualify [for the national competition], mainly because our rockets kept getting stuck in trees and we'd have to start from scratch every single time,” he said. “But I did learn how to lead a team and run a project.” 

Why Choose Embry-Riddle for Aerospace Engineering?

Adam’s college decision ended up being simple, for several reasons. He had first heard about the school from Deepam Rana (’19), who was a rocket club president at Morristown High in the twenty-teens, earned his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle and is now a Systems Development and Verification Engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Deepam’s experience, and the fact that Alexander is also now attending Embry-Riddle, pretty much sealed it for Adam.

“There is an esteem that comes with an Embry-Riddle degree,” he said. “The value of your degree and the connections you build are what help you get your dream job, and courses here are designed to help you get prepared for the field.”

The Florida setting didn’t hurt either.

“When I first visited, the campus seemed like a resort, with warm weather, palm trees and amazing architecture,” he said. “It felt so calming and didn't feel like any college campus that I’d been to.”

Teamwork Helps Make His Dream Work

As a freshman, Adam has found plenty of other perks that convinced him he made the right decision, not the least of which is the student community he’s now part of.

“I've already made friends with people who are here to help each other and push each other to be better,” he said. “The students are passionate about what they do, and it makes college easier when you're surrounded by like-minded people striving toward similar goals. It's been pretty great so far.”

Adam has worked hard to launch his dream, and he knows there are many challenges ahead. But he is grateful for the opportunities that have already come his way.

“Working toward a degree where I’ll get to help build rockets that go into space is just so amazing,” he said. “I love being here and I love getting to do what I love and have fun while I’m doing it. I know that I'll be able to make my dreams come true here.”

For anyone else who shares his dream of exploring the final frontier, Adam has some simple advice: “Shoot for the stars, because you never know where you'll end up.”

What stars will you shoot for? Apply at Embry-Riddle today.

As a musician and a competitive swimmer for the better part of his life, Ryan Shields knows the benefits of a disciplined approach to practicing.

However, it was a practice that he decided to skip that would help put his life on a new trajectory, a career arc he is now pursuing as an Aerospace Engineering major in the renowned program at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach Campus.

“I was supposed to be going to swimming practice that day, but I really didn’t want to,” said Ryan ('27). “So, I hid out and I watched a YouTube video of someone making a remote-controlled plane from cardboard and there was just something about it, and I was like, ‘I have to do this, this is my thing.’”

Although Ryan said his first attempts at creating cardboard airplanes tended to catch fire more than they flew, he had found a passion and it later blossomed fully when he joined the rocket club during his junior year at Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia.

Through the club, Ryan took part in the American Rocketry Challenge and ended up with a college scholarship that is helping him pursue his dream of “building spaceships” by attending Embry‑Riddle.

What is The American Rocketry Challenge?

The American Rocketry Challenge gives nearly 5,000 high school students in the U.S. the chance to learn by designing, building and launching model rockets, a process that helps solidify their STEM skills and provides hands-on engineering experience.

The process, which leads to a nationwide competition, allows participants to solidify their STEM skills, provides hands-on engineering experience and ultimately helps some with their college tuition.

“Getting involved in the competition helped me realize that I wanted to be an aerospace engineer because before that I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do after high school,” Ryan said. “I probably wouldn't even be at Embry Riddle if I hadn't done the competition.

Discovering a Passion for Aerospace Engineering

Born into a military family, Ryan has lived in several places, and it was actually in San Antonio, Texas, during his first two years in high school that he had his “a-ha moment” while skipping swim practice.

“I started designing little RC planes from cardboard and I had a friend in school who liked building model rockets and so we decided to team up,” Ryan said. “We made a rocket powered plane and it actually caught on fire and completely crashed, but it was a lot of fun.”

When the family relocated to Northern Virginia, Ryan discovered the rocket club at Oakton High and got into building “real” model rockets.

“Before that, I was just building these strange rockets with my friend and launching them in a field,” Ryan said. “They usually didn’t come down in one piece, so getting into an organized club was a big change. The club’s rockets had to be safe and come down in one piece so they could be reused. And so that first year on the team, there was lots of learning for sure.”

With his new passion for spaceflight driving him forward, Ryan learned fast, and he learned well. He attended meetings, contributed ideas and experience and, for his senior year, he was named co-president of the club.

During that year, he and fellow club members did well enough to qualify for the ARC National Finals and were in the running for a third-place finish until the parachute on their rocket failed to deploy.

Ryan was also part of StellarXplorers Space STEM Program, which was created by the Air & Space Forces Association to inspire middle and high school students toward careers in space, aviation, and other STEM disciplines critical for the future.

Why Choose Embry‑Riddle for an Aerospace Engineering Degree?

With his sights set firmly on space, Embry‑Riddle became an obvious choice for Ryan, for several reasons.

“First of all, it's just one of the best schools you can go to for aerospace engineering,” he said. “Because I have moved around a lot, I have been in schools with different class sizes, and I learned that smaller classes are definitely my thing. And so, seeing that Embry Riddle had small classes even for undergraduate programs, I knew I could get to know my professors and just have a better learning experience.”

Ryan also credits his older brother, Jack, who is now in the architecture program at Virginia Tech, with helping him settle on Embry‑Riddle.

“He got a flyer from Embry‑Riddle when he was getting ready for college and I ended up keeping it,” Ryan said. “That was actually the first I had heard of Embry‑Riddle and I thought it sounded really cool.”

So far, Ryan says the reality of his Embry‑Riddle experience is living up to the hype.

“It’s been great actually,” he said. “Having my AP credits has helped lighten the load and I love the professors.”

Although his collegiate journey is just beginning, Ryan is already excited about the potential opportunities that he knows Embry‑Riddle will provide in the future.

Kaley Eaton (’24) is a senior Engineering Physics student with dreams of becoming an astronaut and exploring the unknown. Over this past summer, she was a spaceflight hardware intern with Science Systems and Applications Incorporated (SSAI) at NASA Goddard in Maryland.

Spaceflight Hardware Internship

The summer before her internship, Eaton got a call from SSAI’s hiring manager after he had received her resume from someone else. The opportunity that summer didn't work out, but Eaton had made the first step—making an impression.

When she heard that SSAI would be at Embry-Riddle’s Career Expo, she stopped by the booth and left a good impression on the president of the company. She was encouraged to apply for their internship opportunities and the rest is history.

“This was my first internship ever,” she said. “I was just excited to have the experience and the opportunity to finally get an internship.”

Kaley Eaton and her NASA mentor testing the Digitizer Card for Project Dragon/SQRLi. (Photo: Kaley Eaton)

In her role, Eaton was supporting Code 596 with NASA’s New Frontiers mission, Project Dragonfly.

“My big thing was just going through, helping create other procedures, as well as testing our own procedures on some of the cards. So, basically like a lab manual, just going through the steps and taking down data and making sure that the data looked great,” Eaton explained. “And whenever something didn’t look pretty or didn’t look as expected, going back through schematics and trying to figure out what’s happening.”

Eaton was one of three interns on the project, and she was thrilled to be working on something that will be going to space: “That was really cool to be able to say, ‘Wow, I actually learned this in school, I’m actually using it and it is actually going into space.’”

At the end of her internship, Eaton was offered a remote co-op with SSAI while she finishes her senior year.

New Perspectives and Outlooks

Eaton’s internship even took her to Capitol Hill with Citizens for Space Exploration, speaking with Maryland’s representatives and senators about the importance of funding NASA for space exploration.

“A lot of students at Embry-Riddle and other colleges that see themselves ending up in the space field really need that support and that help of NASA funding,” she explained. “Being able to talk to these high-level people about my experience and seeing their support for space exploration was really inspiring.”

One of the biggest things Eaton learned was that you don’t have to be a NASA employee to work with NASA: “There are various ways of becoming a NASA employee other than going through Pathways internship programs and becoming a Civil Servant. You can work for a private company and work with NASA as a contractor.”

She also gained a new perspective on how much work really goes into a launch—meetings, teamwork, mistakes and troubleshooting.

"Not only did [my internship] help me career-wise, but it helped me personally and for my education and my future."

Getting to Know Embry-Riddle

Eaton first learned about Embry-Riddle from a teacher’s lanyard. She researched the school online and found that Embry-Riddle might be a good option for her.

“If it wasn’t for that teacher having that lanyard, I don’t know if I ever would have found out about Embry-Riddle. But I knew where I was wanting to go with my career, and I felt like Embry-Riddle really encapsulated that.”

When she first toured Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus, she was interested in Aerospace Engineering, but she switched to Astronomy & Astrophysics when she found it was more space-focused. In her first year University 101 class, she was introduced to Engineering Physics, which turned out to be exactly what she was looking for.

“The Engineering Physics program at Riddle perfectly combined electrical engineering with space instrumentation and spacecraft, as well as mechanical engineering and aerospace. I feel like Engineering Physics gives me a taste of the cool stuff from all different majors,” Eaton explained.

Navigating College

Coming from out of state as a first-generation college student, Eaton had a lot of uncertainties her first year at Embry-Riddle—not knowing anyone else on campus, not knowing how scholarships and loans worked, not knowing how registration worked or where classrooms were.

Getting a job in ERNIE Central as a freshman helped her out with all of her concerns, and she says it has made a difference on both her Embry-Riddle experience and her future. Being in the thick of the financial aid and registrar's offices allowed her to help herself while helping others.

“My mom has always been my biggest supporter,” Eaton says. “My mom is definitely number one.”

Another support in her life has been Michelle Lucas (’00), founder of Higher Orbits, a nonprofit organization promoting STEM to high schoolers through spaceflight. Eaton attended a Go for Launch camp in high school, where she met Lucas.

Eaton also finds support in her friends and classmates. She is extremely active on campus – she’s in track & field and fraternity and sorority life, along with being the College of Arts and Sciences senator in the Student Government Association (SGA) and a resident assistant (RA).

Advice for Her Peers

“I came from a small town in nowhere Massachusetts. I'm a first-generation college student. No one in my family has ever gone into a STEM field. I come from a single-parent background. Ever since I was five years old, my parents have been divorced,” Eaton said. “I think about the past and my past experiences as just one of the many adversities that I’ve had to overcome. . . It’s not going to be perfect, it’s not gonna be pretty, but there’s always a way up.”

Eaton’s main piece of advice for students pursuing internships is “don’t give up.” While other students had internships since their first year, Eaton didn’t find one until the summer before her senior year. But she didn’t give up – she kept applying, attending career expos and putting her name and face out there until something clicked.

She also pointed out that being well-rounded by being involved on campus in organizations, clubs and research projects can be more relevant to internship recruiters than having straight A’s.

Looking to the Future

Eaton’s big-picture plans after graduation include pursuing a master’s degree and a doctorate, becoming an astronaut and possibly even coming back to Embry-Riddle to teach. But until then?

“I definitely want to hike the full Appalachian Trail. That’s one of my big goals . . . I'm just really waiting for everything to fall into place. Kind of like a puzzle, like the little puzzle pieces.”

Complete your own puzzle with Embry-Riddle. Start your application today.

It took Jacob Zahabi until the middle of his junior year in high school to discover rocketry.

But when he did, it was love at first sight. Since then, it’s been all rockets, all the time.

Jacob (’27) pursued his passion for rocket science in the American Rocketry Challenge (ARC) during his junior and senior years, and that journey of discovery landed him at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, where he’s now part of the school’s renowned Aerospace Engineering program.

“My experience was very special,” Jacob said of his participation in ARC. “There were a lot of challenges and a lot of failures. But I learned so much and, most notably, it just made me more determined to do well.”

What is the American Rocketry Challenge?

Jacob did well enough to earn a scholarship from ARC, which gives nearly 5,000 high school students in the U.S. the chance to learn the basics of rocket flight by designing, building and launching model rockets.

The process, which leads to a nationwide competition, helps participants solidify their STEM skills, provides hands-on engineering experience and ultimately helps some of the students with their college tuition.

Jacob’s fascination with rockets started one day in his German class at Courtland High School in Spotsylvania, Virginia, when he saw a buddy playing a video game called Spaceflight Simulator.

“I was just your average high school student, not really knowing what I wanted to do,” Jacob said. “I looked at that game and was instantly hooked. I learned all this crazy stuff about space flight that I didn't know, literally, the day before. And I was like: ‘Is there a job for this? How do I get as close to that job as possible?’”

First Steps Toward the Final Frontier

That question led him to the Rocket Club at school, the ARC contest and some new challenges. The pandemic had pretty much shut down the club the year before, so Jacob, his friend Nick Batram and several other aspiring rocketeers were confronted with a ton of work before they could even think about launching anything.

“The rockets were broken apart, there was nothing working and there were no experienced students left,” said Jacob. “We didn't know anything about what we were doing. So, we did our best to scrape it together.”

Jacob, Nick and the rest of the Courtland Rocket Club team were able to turn what looked like insurmountable obstacles into opportunities for growth and learning. After all, engineering is about identifying thorny problems and creating innovative solutions, so that’s what they did.

They fashioned a launch rod system to keep the rocket from setting the ground on fire during launch. Jacob got his hands on a 3D printer and taught himself how to use Fusion 360 so he could make fin cans for the rocket motors.

Jacob and company also got guidance and encouragement from William Graf, a physics teacher at Courtland High who was the club’s administrator and supported the efforts to resurrect the rocket program.

“He and I became best friends,” Jacob said.

That support was vital as the team faced dozens of other setbacks and issues once they started launching their models in an attempt join the top 100 teams at the ARC national competition, with much of the process captured on the club’s Instagram page.

“We were too successful actually, because the fins were too aerodynamic,” Jacob said. “You must get the rocket to reach a certain height range, and we had an altimeter in it, and we were regularly getting 400 feet over. And almost every time we had a successful launch, it landed in a tree, and we had no way to get it down. We also had rockets burn up or explode, so we never actually made it to the competition.”

A Space Camp Experience

But that didn’t detract from everything he had learned, and, in fact, it only served to fuel his desire to learn more. During the summer before his senior year, Jacob took part in a space camp type experience through the Virginia Aerospace and Space Technology Scholars program (VASTS).

The mission logo designed by Jacob Zahabi for his team during the Virginia Aerospace and Space Technology Scholars program. (Photo: Jason Zahabi)

“You're writing technical reports about space missions, and you are building your own space mission,” said Jacob, who also ended up designing the logo for his team. “In the final project, you had to make a base on Mars. You had to find the location, identify resources, figure out how you're going to get those resources and how big the base would be, everything. I learned so much.”

One of Jacob’s top takeaways from both of his stellar high school experiences was that he loved the challenges and the process that went into meeting them – even if it meant enduring endless work, constant challenges and ongoing “failures.”

Why Choose Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle?

If anything, he was more psyched than ever about what he could do in Embry-Riddle’s College of Engineering.

"I needed to get into a good college," he said. 

Although he wasn’t sure he would get accepted or that he could afford to attend Embry-Riddle if he was, he applied anyway to be part of the Fall 2023 freshman class at the world’s leading aviation and aerospace educator.

“Three days after I applied, they accepted me and gave me a Presidential Scholarship,” Jacob said. “And I'm like, ‘Okay, I guess I'm going to Florida.’”

And so here he is, adjusting to life on the Daytona Beach Campus and looking forward to launching a future that is already looking up.

“I know what my passion is, but I am not sure what kind of job I am going to do just yet,” Jacob said. “Basically, I want to work on something that's science fiction and make it not science fiction.”

Toriahna Thomas (’26) is a Civil Engineering student entering her junior year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Drawn to her degree program by the desire to challenge herself and make an impact on people’s lives, Thomas has found her place at Embry-Riddle through on-campus involvement and a dedication to continue growing in her field.

On-Campus Involvement

Thomas is a member of a variety of organizations, including the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Black Students Association (BSA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

In NSBE, Thomas serves on the executive board as secretary.

“I'm the person who's responsible for communication. I'm the head of the communication zone, so I work with our public relations officer and Faith Lee, our communications marketing person,” she shared. “I work with them to help with communicating, getting our club out there and making sure our members are getting the right information.”

Recently, Thomas also became the secretary for the BSA, where many of her responsibilities align with the work she does in NSBE.

In the ASCE, Thomas was recently able to attend a student symposium where teams from different schools came together to collaborate, compete and connect.

Thomas cites her favorite part of staying involved as the ability to experience new places and meet new people.

“We had to go to a conference for NSBE in Atlanta, and I think that was my first time in Atlanta for more than a couple hours, not just for traveling. It was really interesting, and I got to meet people from other schools,” she remembered. “Same with the symposium- we went to Jacksonville, and I got to catch up with someone I knew from high school on top of meeting people from other schools. I like that it allows me to get outside of my scope and get to meet people and see new things."

Construction Company Internship

At the NSBE conference in Atlanta, Thomas landed an internship with Turner Construction.

Thomas and a friend approached Turner and were immediately offered the opportunity to interview with the company. Nervous, but excited, Thomas interviewed with Turner on the spot.

After waiting for a few weeks and then having a follow-up interview, Thomas learned that she’d landed the position as a field intern. Turner gave her the option of choosing which office location — of the many offices spanning the United States — she wanted to work from. She chose Philadelphia, where her family lived before moving to Florida.

“For my project, we're doing two floors for Penn Medicine. Turner's working on the whole building — but for my project specifically, we're doing two floors,” Thomas shared. “I'm really excited; every day is a new learning experience.”

Thomas also discussed the ability to utilize the knowledge and skills she learned in her coursework at Embry-Riddle throughout her internship.

“I get to apply things I actually did learn in class. I was kind of scared that a lot of the stuff that we were applying in class was not going to transfer over,” she said. “But I’ve been seeing a lot of familiar things and I'm about to finish up my internship.”

Goals at Embry-Riddle and Beyond

As Thomas returns to Embry-Riddle post-internship and embarks on her second year, she remembers that she has people in her corner, rooting for her success.

“Something that inspires me throughout school is my family. I really want to do something that impresses my family— that's not my main motivation, but that is a big part of it,” Thomas shared. “I like having stuff to talk about with my family too, to explain to them what the field is and what I do in my internship.”

Thomas’ aunt is also a civil engineer and is “ecstatic” when she hears about the work Thomas does at Embry-Riddle and in her internship.

“I think when I told her I was doing civil engineering, she was crying and I was just like, ‘oh my goodness,’” Thomas said with a smile.

As for her own plans for a career path, Thomas is looking inward as to what will bring fulfillment into her life.

“Career-wise, I don't really have a preference over what specific company I end up at. I just know I want to be somewhere like Turner, where they have a focus on their people and they give you a lot of opportunities to meet other people in your department,” she said. “I want to be somewhere where I know the company cares about me and where they have my best well-being in mind.”

Thomas’ personal goals align with her professional ones, revolving around building a life that you love.

Cameron Archibald’s (’23) path to an Aerospace Engineering degree at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University hasn’t been easy or smooth.

But it has been 100% worth it.

So worth it, in fact, that his two younger brothers, Jack and Wyatt, have followed him to the world’s leading aviation and aerospace educator. They will study together at the Daytona Beach Campus in Fall 2023, which will be Cameron’s final semester before graduating.

“I'm only taking six credits so I can hopefully enjoy the time with my younger brothers before I go off and become a real adult,” said Cameron, who is projected to graduate magna cum laude. “I’ve learned how to balance the fun with the academics, so it'll be a good last semester.”

A stellar student athlete at Monomoy Regional High School in Harwich, Massachusetts, Cameron earned a scholarship from The Boston Globe and had a world of possibilities when it came to college.

“I was one of 14 chosen for that scholarship and only one of two from my district,” Cameron said. “So that was pretty cool.”

Cameron’s exposure to aviation started early—his grandfather was a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later a captain at American Airlines, while his dad is a private pilot—and he says he’s always had his sights set on the sky.

“I am a big Star Wars nerd,” he said. “And I have always been fascinated by space.”

Although he has some piloting time and once flew from Massachusetts to Iowa in a Cessna 150 with his dad, Cameron was more interested in engineering and that brought Embry‑Riddle directly into the picture.

“I wanted to do aerospace and some of the schools I applied to had mechanical engineering degrees with aerospace, but I ended up choosing Embry‑Riddle, because the program that was specifically aerospace,” said Cameron, who was accepted at eight other colleges.

Fraternity Brothers to the Rescue

He started classes in Fall 2019 only to have his freshman year virtually derailed by the pandemic. The disruption and uncertainty almost ended his Embry‑Riddle journey, but Cameron credits joining the Sigma Chi fraternity with keeping him on track.

“Freshman year was a little rough and I really wanted to transfer and go somewhere close back home,” he said. “But I stayed because of the people from my fraternity. Some of them have become my best friends and probably will be for life.”

These good friends also have good connections. It was a fraternity brother who helped Cameron land his first internship, working as an avionics system engineer at MITRE.

More Connections Lead to More Internships

The Embry‑Riddle Career Expo in 2022 landed Cameron a stint at Collins Aerospace and he took a semester off to spend eight months working there as test engineer on C-130 aircraft and MH-6 helicopters.

“I am graduating in the fall because of that semester off, but it was a great choice,” he said. “I've been very grateful to have a network that I've kind of built up and that's mainly through my fraternity.”

His fraternity brothers also helped Cameron with his initial adjustment to the rigors of studying at a renowned aerospace university.

“I was always good at math and science, so everything came pretty easy to me in high school,” he said. “When I got here, I realized I actually had to study, and I had to learn some good habits.”

His classroom success has been matched by the practical experience he’s amassed, and his internship this summer is with The Boeing Company.

“I was lucky enough to get selected, so now I'm a mission systems design intern for their Phantom Works division,” said Cameron, who was among 10 engineering majors and one business student chosen to work at the aerospace giant.

When he graduates in December, Cameron has a full-time job waiting at Phantom Works as an Integration and Test (AIT) Engineer in Advanced Mission Systems Analysis.

Lifelong friends, connections that count and a lasting academic foundation all make Cameron grateful that he stayed at Embry‑Riddle.

“It’s definitely paid off,” he said. “I mean, I've had a really great time here.”

Band of Brothers

The Archibald brothers, Jack, Wyatt and Cameron, celebrate Wyatt’s high school graduation and his plan to join them at Embry‑Riddle. (Photo: Cameron Archibald)

He believes his brothers will share the same success. Jack Archibald (’25) is now pursuing his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering after transferring from the University of Colorado Boulder, and has also joined the Sigma Chi fraternity.

“He's loved it ever since he got here,” says Cameron. “He definitely is enjoying himself much more than he was at Boulder.”

Youngest brother Wyatt (’27), already a private pilot, will continue his flight training and start the B.S. in Aeronautical Science program this fall while also planning to try out for Embry‑Riddle’s hockey team.

Wyatt wants to be a commercial pilot and knows that Embry‑Riddle is “the best pilot school in the country,” said Cameron, who cited another family connection that has been key to his success:

“My parents have helped me through school and pushed me to do what I wanted – to do something unique. They are the reason I am here and still making it through school more than anything.”

As he looks ahead to his post-graduation future, Cameron is excited about the options his Embry‑Riddle education have provided.

“My ultimate career goal is to go into space,” he said. “And I believe I will find a way to do it.”

Beyond that stellar ambition, Cameron said there are several other career routes that would work for him.

“I've always really liked the idea of working on rockets and helping with deep space exploration, but I also could see myself working on next generation fighters and technology if I get the chance to do that,” he said. “Preferably not just sitting behind a desk all the time but going out into the field and seeing the stuff that I contribute to building and watching it fly.”

What could you build here? Apply at Embry‑Riddle today and find out.

Inspiration for Success

Alfonzo-Jenner cites the strong women in her life as her inspiration to keep pushing herself forward.

“My mom has had full custody of my brother and I, so she's always been working like crazy. She got a second degree when she was in her early forties and that's so inspiring, the fact that she was able to switch careers like that,” she said, offering an example of her mother’s resilience.

Alfonzo-Jenner also shared that her grandmother, who grew up in Brooklyn without generational wealth or support before moving to New Jersey, is a major source of inspiration in her life.

“She really built herself up. She sent her own three kids through college and now she's helping me,” she said with pride.

While she has received guidance from those who mean the most to her throughout her educational career, Alfonzo-Jenner offered her own advice to incoming college students.

“Get involved! Even if it's something small, like the tennis club. I held back joining that because it just started my freshman year and I was like, ‘I'm so busy and I don't know anyone,’” she remembered. “But having activities on campus has really helped me get a lot better with speaking to strangers and with the whole hiring process and interviews... it's helped me a lot.”

As Alfonzo-Jenner embarks on her senior year at Embry‑Riddle, she plans to stay involved on-campus and get ready for life beyond her undergraduate studies, pursuing a career in aerospace engineering. With experiences that boosted her personal and professional growth and the motivation to stay focused and pursue her interests, Alfonzo-Jenner is truly set up for success in her senior year and beyond.

Aerospace Engineering student Connor Arnold with NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building in the background. (Photo: Connor Arnold)

Aerospace Engineering major Connor Arnold (’25) has no doubt about what he wants to do with his life, and no doubts about how he is going to do it. Connor is dreaming of becoming an astronaut and he is confident that Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University is the right place to help him launch that lofty career journey.

We caught up with Connor, who is spending summer 2023 as a Human Space Exploration intern at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, to discuss his dreams and the role Embry‑Riddle is playing in helping him turn his astronaut aspirations into a reality.

Tell Us a Little About Your Background

I grew up as a military brat in both Turkey and Germany, and I had the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in two vibrant cultures and develop a global perspective from a young age.

Both of my parents, actively serving in the Air Force, helped instill in me a deep appreciation for discipline, dedication, and the spirit of service. Little did I know that these early experiences would pave the way for my lifelong dream.

How Did You First Get Interested in Space?

After returning to the United States, my fascination with space exploration took flight at the Space Adventure Camp in Wallops Island, Virginia. The wonders of the cosmos and the remarkable achievements of NASA captivated me, and I knew that my future lay among the stars.

The experience ignited a spark, and I became determined to pursue a career that would allow me to contribute to humanity's exploration of the universe.

Why Did You Choose Embry‑Riddle for Your Aerospace Engineering Degree?

Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University is a prestigious institution, and its commitment to excellence in aerospace education and research resonated deeply with me. When I received the acceptance letter, it was not just a letter of admission but a validation of my hard work and the realization that I was one step closer to fulfilling my childhood dream.

After being admitted at Embry‑Riddle, I was elated to be accepted into the Honors and Discover Scholars programs. The Honors Program presented an incredible opportunity to engage in advanced coursework, collaborate with exceptional students, and delve deeper into my academic pursuits. It provided an intellectually stimulating environment that challenged me to push beyond my limits and nurture my passion for knowledge.

A look at the parking space Aerospace Engineering student Connor Arnold wants to use one day. (Photo: Connor Arnold)

Additionally, the Discover Scholars Program allowed me to immerse myself in the world of research from the very beginning of my academic journey.

What Internships Has Embry‑Riddle Helped You Secure?

My determination and drive combined with Embry‑Riddle’s industry network eventually led me to secure an internship with The Boeing Company as a material and physics engineer in the first semester of my freshman year.

Immersed in the real-world application of my studies, I eagerly embraced the opportunity to contribute to the development of groundbreaking technologies at the factory in Everett, Washington. The experience solidified my passion for aerospace engineering and gave me invaluable insight into the intricacies of the industry.

I continued to push myself during my sophomore year and it was during this time that I secured a highly competitive internship at the Kennedy Space Center, where I will have the privilege of working on cutting-edge projects that aimed to ensure the sustainability of future space missions.

As I continue my academic pursuits at Embry Riddle, mentorship from my research professors and collaboration with my fellow students will contribute to helping me reach my ultimate goal of becoming an astronaut and making a significant contribution to the field of space exploration.

Journey to Aerospace Engineering

Growing up in Houston, Texas, Faith Lee (’26) was accustomed to having NASA’s Mission Control and the Bush Intercontinental Airport just down the road, instilling her love for aviation and aerospace from childhood. When she chose to attend Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, with its Daytona Beach Campus located right next door to the Daytona Beach International Airport and not far from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, she found the similarities to her hometown to be a major selling point.

“Back at home, I did everything in my power to get not just integrated more into the commercial aviation realm but somehow into space as well,” she said.

After getting her Student Pilot Certificate through the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals while still in high school, Lee came to Embry‑Riddle as an Aeronautical Science major with the intention of pursuing her private pilot’s license.

Once she arrived on campus, Lee felt that her classmates had an intense passion for piloting that she did not match. With her love for aviation itself still intact and on the search for a program that would spark joy, Lee completed a project in one of her courses where she assembled her own miniature glider plane. This led her to the program that truly matched her interests: Aerospace Engineering.

Representation Matters

As her love for her studies grew and she acclimated to college life, Lee joined various on-campus organizations. She is a student marketing manager, a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators, a tour guide for the College of Engineering, a member of the leadership team for New Student Orientation, the Public Relations Chair for the Black Students Association and the Communications Lead for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).

In NSBE, Lee found the community she had always longed for. As a young Black woman in an industry just beginning to diversify, she often felt that she couldn’t be unapologetically herself around her peers. When she joined NSBE, she found a group of people with similar experiences, with the main goal of empowering one another.

“Whether it be uplifting ourselves socially, academically or professionally, I find it really important to be a part of a group that will allow you to express yourself,” Lee shared. “I love how in every meeting... we always say our mission statement, which is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”

As the Communications Lead for NSBE, Lee leads the charge in all things publicity, marketing and inter-organization coordination with other groups on campus. 

“In my position, I want to make sure we establish a place where everybody is welcome,” she said.

"Me, aged two… I like to say that the photo is often a reminder of how everyone starts somewhere, it's just a matter of finding the support around us to keep ourselves going and growing,” said Faith Lee.

Lee cites one of the most important aspects of her on-campus work is showing incoming students and families that a Black female engineer can not only succeed here but thrive.

“We not only exist but we are able to be in a leadership position. I’ve talked to incoming parents, whether it be a parent of a female student, Black student or Black female student. They’ll say, ‘I feel like it is so nice to see a female doing this’ or, ‘a Black student doing this,’” she shared. “And I realize the reason why they're saying it is because they don't have that sort of representation back at home. So, they don't know how to envision their child in that position.”

 Internship and Co-op Opportunities

After completing an internship with Spirit Aerosystems, where she gained hands-on experience in design engineering, Lee was offered an internship with Airbus, which she initially accepted. 

When the opportunity arose to attend a career fair hosted by the Society of Women Engineers in her hometown of Houston, Texas, Lee couldn’t miss out on the chance to visit home while creating valuable industry connections among both peers and professionals.

While perusing the career fair, Lee ended up sitting down with a liaison engineer who works for Delta Air Lines and interviewing for a position that same day. Soon after, she got a message with an offer for the last spot in Delta’s liaison engineering co-op.

With opportunities lined up at what many students would describe as their dream companies and the ability to choose only one, Lee did not want to disappoint those who helped her land the Airbus internship. When she broke the news to the Airbus team that she was heading to Delta, they responded with encouragement and enthusiasm.

“What I realized is regardless of where you end up, you'll have so many people in your corner. I think I sent four of them a message on LinkedIn, and they were like, ‘oh my gosh, Delta's one of our biggest customers. You're going to have so much fun. Make sure you come back to Airbus.’ That was pretty much the response across all corners,” she shared.

At Delta, Lee will train in Tech Ops as a Liaison Engineer for three semesters, then return to her studies at Embry‑Riddle.

How to Succeed

Lee shared the advice she gives to prospective students as she leads tours; it’s okay to take your educational and career journey at your own pace, don’t underestimate the importance of networking and finding mentors (people really do want to share their knowledge with you) and never forgetting to take time for yourself.

“Giving time for yourself is beautiful,” she said with a smile.

Maryland native Sydney Makarovich (’23) grew up wanting to become an architect. As the time for college grew near, she became unsure of where her future would take her and decided to pivot to Aerospace Engineering.

When she selected her school, Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University was an obvious choice.

“I had a family member that went here and had a great experience. So I kind of already knew about it and I loved how updated the campus was,” Makarovich said. “It’s a very unique school so that’s what really drew me. There weren’t any other schools quite like it.”

After a short stint in Aerospace Engineering, Makarovich switched to Civil Engineering with a focus on structures, a degree not dissimilar to that of an architect, bringing her full circle to the idea of a future career in the design and construction of various buildings and infrastructure projects.

Makarovich was elected president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and also vice president of the Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE) at Embry‑Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus. (Photo: Embry‑Riddle / Bill Fredette-Huffman)

American Society of Civil Engineers and Institute of Transportation Engineers

The same semester she switched to Civil Engineering, Makarovich joined the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Embry‑Riddle chapter due to her peers encouraging her to get involved.

“My first meeting, I was actually an executive board member, which was crazy. They voted for me before I was even in the club... And from there, I just started getting heavily involved [by] going to conferences and my interest just kept getting more and more in-depth,” she shared.

As a senior, Makarovich was elected president of the on-campus organization, taking on the role of chapter leader and functioning as a liaison between the ASCE at Embry‑Riddle and ASCE chapters in other locations. She also became vice president of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), another on-campus organization that has overlap among membership and events with the ASCE.

In her involvement with the ASCE and ITE, Makarovich had unique opportunities to attend and make connections at engineering-focused conferences and events. For example, she and the ITE chapter from Embry‑Riddle recently journeyed to Hawaii for a conference dedicated to equity and resilience in a changing world, where she spoke about climate change and its engineering impacts.

Her favorite conference is the annual ASCE Southeast Student Symposium in Florida, where teams have an opportunity to participate in a variety of competitions.

“It's a student conference, where all the schools get together from Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico,” she said. “We do different engineering-based competitions; our biggest event is the concrete canoe competition. All the schools get to build and race a concrete canoe.”

Leading the Way at Embry‑Riddle

Makarovich cites the best part of being president as the guidance she’s able to offer others.

“I really enjoy giving back to the younger group because I've been in their shoes where... I had no idea what I was doing,” she recalled. “From the few years that I've been a part of it, I've been able to connect and network with people in Florida... getting our younger members internship opportunities, scholarship opportunities. From my experience, being able to give back to them has been extremely rewarding as president.”

When asked who inspires her, Makarovich talked about those at Embry‑Riddle who helped her find her own way and no doubt further instilled the spirit of giving into her own leadership style.

“Honestly, I'll have to say my professors. They've just done a great job of getting me involved and showing me what engineering has to offer to me,” she shared. “I see how much work they’ve put in and I just really appreciate how much they've given back to us.”

Post-Graduation Plans

In her years at Embry‑Riddle, Makarovich was heavily involved on-campus in addition to leading the ASCE and ITE chapters. She worked on a Florida Department of Transportation-funded research project led by Dr. Jeff Brown, was a tour guide for campus visitors, graded for two different engineering courses, is a member of Mentor Foundation USA (a foundation promoting drug-free lifestyles, sponsored by Queen Sylvie of Sweden) and is a member of Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society.

Since early 2022, Makarovich has been an intern at FINFROCK, an Orlando-based design and build construction company. Post-graduation, she is working there as a full-time employee in their professional development program, where she will have the opportunity to explore career options in different departments until she finds the best fit.

“I'm going to stay in Florida indefinitely. I love it down here,” she said.

With an enthusiastic and generous mindset, plentiful technical skills and excellent networking experience, Makarovich has a bright future ahead in her field and beyond.

For Aerospace Engineering major Izel Tuncer (’25), joining Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at Embry‑Riddle was an obvious choice. The organization not only offers aid to communities in need but also gives members an opportunity to practice their engineering skills and gain valuable knowledge in a real-world setting.

"Engineers Without Borders is here to help build a better world. This is the heart of engineering; using our skills to help those who need it most,” Tuncer said, thinking of the organization’s purpose. “We’re able to build connections and find solutions for communities.”

Clean Water Accessibility

Globally, EWB has a track record of facilitating lasting change. Among all EWB projects worldwide, 91% showed the capacity to be sustained by the local community beyond assistance from the organization.

To receive assistance from Engineers Without Borders, communities in need must reach out and request it. El Túnel reached out to EWB about five years ago, was approved for assistance and assigned to work with the Embry‑Riddle chapter. The problem in El Túnel: lack of accessibility to clean water.

Since then, EWB and El Túnel have been working together to build a relationship, completing paperwork, working through language barriers, fundraising and waiting out a global pandemic.

Traveling to El Túnel

On March 11, the EWB Embry‑Riddle chapter finally traveled to Nicaragua to begin surveying the land and testing the soil and water, led by Dr. Jeff Brown, professor of Civil Engineering.

To prepare, the group has not only been fine-tuning their surveying and engineering skills but also completing crucial health, safety, CPR and first-aid training. The end goal is to provide the El Túnel community with wells to provide a steady supply of clean water.

“My favorite part was... when we talked with the community about what we had done and what our plan is. We were able to hear feedback from the people that have been impacted by not having enough water,” Tuncer shared, continuing, “Everyone was so grateful that we came out of our comfort zone to help them. It was just so nice to hear... that we can really make a difference in these people's lives.”

The Embry‑Riddle group returned from the trip on March 18 after days of surveying land, visiting neighboring areas with successful well systems, making plans and communicating with the community (with the help of Eduardo, their translator).

Next steps for the project include finalizing design plans and hiring a remote team to complete the well digging and implementation process before deciding if they’ll need to add another. At the end of 2023, they plan to take a larger team back to El Túnel.

Champions of Inclusivity

EWB’s efforts are not going unnoticed in the Embry‑Riddle community. During Engineering Week in February, the College of Engineering awarded EWB with one of their Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Advocacy (IDEI) awards, which gives recognition to organizations who are leaders in those areas.

“Although our chapter is small, we are a very diverse group of engineers that work hard to help these communities,” Tuncer said. “Without groups like EWB, many communities would not get the help they need. Just in the EWB USA organizations, 506 projects were underway in 2021."

EWB is making impressive strides not only.in developing relationships between communities who need assistance and those who can assist them but also in inclusion among members of their own organization. According to the impact page on EWB’s website, “More than 40% of EWB-USA's student member engineers are female, which is more than double the 14% industry average.”

Join the Cause

To donate to assist the Engineers Without Borders chapter at Embry‑Riddle in their mission to give clean water access to the people of El Túnel, type “Engineers Without Borders” in the designation portion on the Giving to Embry‑Riddle page!

Overcoming Obstacles

Aerospace Engineering major Prabhsidak Singh’s ('25) childhood dream was to become an astronaut, but you have to be a U.S. citizen to apply. Being from India, he knows that’s not possible – at least not now.

“I’ll keep trying. You never know,” he said matter-of-factly.

Singh has seen obstacles standing in his way before but never believed they would stop him from achieving any of his goals. In fact, he’s made of a habit of pushing against that type of resistance.

For example, his childhood fear of the water nearly drowned him on his first trip to Daytona Beach right before classes began his first year. However, rather than letting that experience prevent him from enjoying one of the huge perks of the Daytona Beach campus, its proximity to the beach, he literally dove right into conquering his fear. Thanks to the campus’s SHARK (Studying Habits and Reef Kingdoms) club, he became a certified open water diver, a skill astronauts are required to have.

Singh also feared social situations when he first arrived on campus and thought his appearance may prevent him from meeting people. He is of the Sikh religion and wears a turban, something that makes him stand out and, as it turns out, in the best way possible. He often gets asked about the significance of his turban which he said is a unique experience that excites him because he loves to share his culture with others.

“When people see me [and my turban], they remember me which helps me grow my social network,” he said, adding that now, “I know six out of every ten people here!”

School clubs and organizations helped further his connections. He joined the ERAU Esports, an on-campus gaming club that competes against other colleges and universities.

“My friends dragged me into this,” he said with a laugh. “Turns out, I’m good at it.”

Network Equals Net Worth

Singh feels he missed out on a lot of opportunities when he first arrived on campus by avoiding interactions with his fellow Eagles, so he encourages new and prospective students to conquer those fears by stepping out of their comfort zone and talking to people. Not only is it a great way to build community, it’s also effective in establishing a professional network.

“Create your network. Your network is your net worth. If you keep [building] your network, you’ll never know when you’ll get that opportunity of your life.”

He wants to encourage others to pursue what they love regardless of how difficult the path may seem; otherwise, they may risk a lifetime of unhappiness.

“If you are passionate about something, go for that instead of taking the easy path,” which is exactly what he is doing.

Experience the Present

Singh had been interested in aerospace since he was in high school where he had the opportunity to compete in the International Space Settlement Design Competition helping design an orbital settlement that could sustain life in space. He entered his team’s design in several competitions which he called a unique learning experience. He then repurposed the same design for a competition that asked entrants how they could help the community during the COVID-19 pandemic by designing a “Human Space Isolation Center” to combat overcrowding at hospitals all around the world. His entry won second runner-up in the International A’Design Awards and Competition and was featured in their Design Magazine and Gala Dinner in Italy. He has been building upon that experience ever since.

Experience has also taught him to try not to think too far ahead or you’ll miss what’s right in front of you; and that’s what keeps him motivated.

A Long Way from Home

Eshna Bhargava ('24) traveled a long way to live out her dream of traveling to the United States to study Aerospace Engineering. Once this international student from Dubai learned about Embry‑Riddle, she was sure it was where she was meant to go.

“When you know, you know,” she said confidently.

Thankfully, technology helps her stay in touch with family; although her mother recently visited campus for the first time, attended her classes and met her friends. Bhargava said it helped that her mother saw her living and thriving in her surroundings, which cleared up any question or doubt she had about her attending school so far away from home.

“I know for a fact that this was the best decision I could’ve made,” she said.

Family Support System

Bhargava sees her mother as a source of inspiration.

“My mom never did what she wanted to do, which was majoring in English literature in college,” she said of her mother, who was born and raised in India.

Her mother was adamant Bhargava pursue her dreams – whatever they were.

“If you can figure out what you want to do, make sure you do it,” her mother would tell her.

Similarly, Bhargava’s father, also born and raised in India, wanted to pursue a career in sports, but that wasn’t an option for him either. So, he would encourage her to pursue whatever her dream may be, “as long as you’re confident that this is what will make you happy.”

“I was always in a very positive environment,” she said. “I had the support system to help me push myself and that self-motivation to figure it out.”

Creating Her Own Support System

Bhargava has created her own positive environment on Embry‑Riddle's campus by joining various clubs and organizations, including Embry‑Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society (ERFSEDS) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE), where she is now the vice president.

“It completely changed the course of my experience at Riddle,” she said.

Through these groups, she created her own support system complete with “such a broad variety of people from everywhere.”

Navigating College Life

Bhargava has gone from mentee to mentor during her time at Embry‑Riddle helping new students navigate college life from a perspective she understands all too well. She enjoys seeing fresh faces and using her personal experience to help others navigate adjusting to their new normal letting them know, “I got you. I know what you’re thinking right now. I know you’re missing home right now. I know you feel like there’s too much going on and you don’t know how to narrow it down,” and considers her ability to empathize with them, “such a blessing.”

She advises students to exercise patience when building a campus community of their own.

“It takes time to get to know [people], for you to gel together,” she advised. “There’s so much imposter syndrome, but everyone is going through that.”

Embry‑Riddle has always been the plan for Matthew Jolliffe (’23). Growing up just down the road from the Daytona Beach Campus in Deland, Florida, he first toured the university in seventh grade. "It felt like there was a lot that I could do here,” Jolliffe recalled from the experience.

Flash forward to fall 2019, sophomore year. Jolliffe landed his first internship with General Electric Aerospace (GE) based in Cincinnati, Ohio . There, he got hands-on experience in supply-chain quality engineering and found a new passion to occupy his free time: mountain biking.

Riddle Mountain Biking Club

Jolliffe returned to Embry‑Riddle after interning at GE, switched his major to Mechanical Engineering and joined the Riddle Mountain Biking Club. By his second semester in the club, he was co-president and helped plan the club's first trip out of state to Asheville, North Carolina.

“We were able to get sponsors and the school gave the club some money. With that we were able to go to some actual mountains. It felt like; this is how the hobby we enjoy can get the support we need to make it more fulfilling,” he said of the trip.

Since then, the club has secured more funding and donations to assist them in pursuing their passion. They now have a storage trailer, two bikes available for borrowing (for students who may not have access to their own), necessary repair tools and more.

Internships at BMW and Fox Racing

Mechanical Engineering student Matthew Jolliffe ('23) standing in Embry‑Riddle's Formula One SAE Lab. (Photo: Embry‑Riddle / Bill Fredette-Huffman)

During summer 2020, Jolliffe completed another GE internship, this time virtually. One year later, he began the first of three BMW internships in Greenville, South Carolina.

There, Jolliffe worked in the body shop (where vehicles are assembled and assessed) on quality engineering. His first rotation at BMW was project-based, with a focus on gaining an understanding of the manufacturing process and the duties of a quality engineer.

“After that, I came back to school for fall; then, in the spring I went back to BMW.  I became a shadow of a full-time quality engineer and followed him in his day-to-day life,” Jolliffe shared, continuing about his latter rotations at BMW, “It was nice going back for the second rotation and especially the third rotation because they all knew me and I knew them. It’s less of learning processes and more starting to get the work done, so I’ve really enjoyed that.”

Between his second and third rotations at BMW, Jolliffe took on an internship at Fox Factory in California. At Fox, Jolliffe got a unique opportunity to combine his work with his passion; he was tasked with analyzing warranty submissions for mountain bike components, another aspect of quality engineering.

Jolliffe describes going from BMW to Fox as a change in pace, organization size and structure.

“Going from BMW, where there are  120-150 interns every rotation, to five with Fox, was a shock. The whole company is a lot closer,” Jolliffe shared, continuing, “At BMW, with such a big company, people work there because it’s work. At Fox, people work there because it’s their passion or their hobby... that’s what I felt and enjoyed. It’s just a completely different culture, going from such a large company to such a small company.”

Back at BMW for his third and most recent internship in fall 2022, Jolliffe worked on the online quality management system that keeps employees updated on happenings related to quality control within the body shop. This project gave Jolliffe the chance to connect with the vice president of the body shop and other organization leaders, as well as earned him a spot in a coveted BMW leadership program, for which seven interns were chosen.

Advantages from Internships

Internships provide valuable learning and networking opportunities seldom found elsewhere. Jolliffe’s experience has well-prepared him for a career in engineering and given him a competitive advantage over other graduates entering the workforce.

Jolliffe’s advice to students on their own journeys through higher education is something he has kept in mind throughout his own schooling: “No rush!”

Networking Opportunities

When opportunity knocks, Leah Smith (‘24) answers, and it’s what she appreciates most about her time at Embry‑Riddle. From career fairs, where the mechanical engineering major has met and interviewed with industry professionals, to internships, where she has gained real-world experience, she has created connections that will help guide her future.

“By attending these events, I’ve been able to build a really nice network and meet and experience people from different parts of industry and [hear] their stories and what inspired them, what they learned and how I [can] learn from them,” she explained.

Job Opportunities

Smith has also taken advantage of the job opportunities offered by student employment including being a resident advisor (RA), giving campus tours to visiting elementary school students and working for ERNIE, which she said have all been great ways to meet people.

“It’s really great working Preview Day and Open House where I get to meet all the new students, and I see how excited they are [and] what brought them here to the school.”

She has learned a lot working on campus and sees each position she has held as a chance to expand multiple aspects of her life.

“Through each job I meet more and more people,” she said, adding that each opportunity she had, “helped me move one step forward learning more about my career or just help my people skills.”

Research Opportunities

Smith has also taken advantage of the research opportunities available to her taking part in a project measuring air quality using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This multi-disciplinary team project enlisted the assistance of a student organization she founded called MOVE UAS (Mobility Virtual Environment) to track and monitor air quality in the local area using both drones and ground sampling stations on campus.

“Each team has a slightly different focus, but it’s all centered around air quality or just preservation of our natural resources,” she said.

The project received funding from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), Embry‑Riddle's SGA (Student Government Association) and the Office of Undergraduate Research, and the research group is headed to Washington, DC, later this year to present their findings to the EPA.

“Riddle offers those outlets to provide that funding so that we can keep going.”

Career Opportunities

Smith’s true passion is robotics, even competing in numerous competitions throughout high school. She would like to combine that passion with a career in the space industry.

“I wanted to have the focus of the robotics track that Riddle offers here,” she said. “I get be a part of every step of the design process and the assembly and testing.”

She recently made a trip to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, for the Embry‑Riddle JPL Academic Exchange where she toured various labs and attended seminars.

“Their current work and future projects were such an inspiration,” she said. “They are continuously pushing the limit on space missions and technology. I am so thankful for the COE (College of Engineering) sponsoring our trip out to the JPL where I was able to meet an incredible group of engineers and scientists.”

Smith is grateful for all the opportunities Embry‑Riddle offers and knows it will make a difference when she graduates.

“I have the freedom of what I want to do next and where I want to go.”

Dream School

Embry‑Riddle was Samir Ahmed’s (‘23) dream school since he was in middle school.

“I knew it was big in aerospace, and that’s where I wanted to go,” said the aerospace engineering major.

Ahmed grew up with books on astronomy and space and remembers being fascinated watching NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity animation of the seven minutes of terror with his father.

“It’s just been a passion of mine,” he said.

Find Your Niche

Samir Ahmed ('23) sitting at mission control. (Photo: Samir Ahmed)

If you’re ever on campus looking for him, chances are he’s in the Experimental Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, or ERPL, where he’s been actively involved since his first couple of weeks as a student.

“Initially, I didn’t know what type of engineer I wanted to be,” he explained. “I just knew I wanted to be an aerospace engineer.”

Through his work at ERPL, he found what he calls his niche – propulsion engineering, a specialty in the field of aerospace engineering that involves the design of systems used to accelerate a type of aircraft into space. Typically, it either involves solid, liquid or hybrid propulsion. Ahmed primarily focuses on liquid propulsion.

The highlight of his work in the lab has been designing his own manufactured liquid engine – from the initial design sketches to submitting the plans for the parts to be produced.

“The day that all the hardware came in...picking it up...the hardware whose design I spent staring at for the past four months...seeing it in my hands...[I thought to myself], ‘I designed that,’” he said of the full circle moment.

ULA Internship

Ahmed believes it was his work with ERPL that helped him stand out and secure an internship with United Launch Alliance (ULA) as a propulsion test engineer intern working with the group responsible for engines, tanks and ground service equipment; essentially anything that connects fuel to the rocket.

The highlight of his experience with ULA was being able to sit in mission control and make a couple of callouts during one of the launches, which he had a hard time believing was happening.

“This only happens in the movies, and now I get to sit in one of the rooms,” he recalled thinking at the time.

Ahmed advises future and current students to, “find a niche and build your passion around that,” which is exactly what he did. “I was involved with the rocket lab, and that’s what got me my internship, and my internship got me my job.”

Dream Job

After graduation, Ahmed will be taking his ERPL and ULA experience with him to Huntsville, Alabama, where he will begin his professional career as a propulsion engineer for the combustion devices group at Blue Origin.

“I’m going to design rocket engines. That’s the niche I built my passion around,” he said excitedly. “To actually start as an entry level rocket design engineer with one of the biggest players in the aerospace industry is huge.”

Elena Djudaric (’23) is studying Aerospace Engineering on the Astronautics track with a minor in Human Factors. The passionate student is active in several groups on campus, serving as a drummer for the Pep Band, Professional Engagement Chair for the Society of Women Engineers and President of the First-Generation Students Association.

Discovering Embry‑Riddle

As an Orlando, Florida, native, Elena Djudaric grew up watching rocket launches just a short distance away on the Space Coast. She and her family happened upon Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University while searching for colleges near her hometown. She knew she wanted to study Aerospace Engineering, so it was a bonus to have a university with a highly ranked aerospace program only a short drive away. She was also drawn in by the small class sizes and opportunities available to her at the university.

“I admired a smaller classroom size as I felt that I would make better connections with the professors and students around me,” she said. “As first gen and an only child, there was a lot to learn early on about the education system and how I could have equal opportunity to achieve higher education.”

While she was deciding which college she wanted to attend, Djudaric was contacted by the Embry‑Riddle Discover Scholars Program for first-generation college students. This program runs for three days before orientation to ease students into the Daytona Beach Campus by participating in activities and workshops, plus meeting with an upper-class peer mentor. After going through the program as a freshman, she became a peer mentor to incoming students and later became a team lead, organizing the events, workshops and trips.

“Little did I know that my experience in this program would give me leadership opportunities and confidence in networking each academic year,” she said. “It makes me very proud to see where each year’s group of students shine throughout campus and in their own individual involvement.”

Campus Involvement

During the school year, the First-Generation Students Association supports these same students with aid and resources. Djudaric is currently the president of the student-run organization.

She is also part of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), where she serves as the Professional Engagement Chair. She says that one of her favorite parts of SWE is the annual National Conference.

“Many of our members, including myself, have received internship or full-time offers from huge companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman,” she added.

In summer 2023, she will be interning in Denver, Colorado, with Lockheed Martin Space as a quality engineer—an internship she secured at the last SWE conference. She’s hoping to turn this summer internship into a full-time position with the company after she graduates in December.

Djudaric is passionate not only about engineering, but also about music. She has played the cello, guitar and several percussion instruments. Currently, she plays the bass drums with the Pep Band at basketball and volleyball games and other events.

“I’m thankful to the Embry‑Riddle Pep Band for providing a community of like-minded peers who also support each other and their love for music,” she said.

The Importance of Support

Djudaric’s support system has been a massive help in getting her where she is now at Embry‑Riddle. From the Discover Scholars Program leaders to her fellow students within her organizations, she is proud of what they have helped her accomplish.

“My family is what inspires me every day to be my best self. They have worked tirelessly to invest in my future, and I know I've made them very proud. While there is a tremendous amount of pressure for first-gen students like me, I cannot express enough about how continuous support can go a long way,” she said.

Her advice to those who follow her?

She said, “Say yes to opportunities, as you never know where they may lead you. Take the time to reflect on how far you have already come. I hope that some will remember my story and go out and achieve dreams of their own."

Becoming an Award-Winning Student

This year, Jordan earned two top-flight awards by being named Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher of the Year for the Daytona Beach Campus and then winning an Astronaut Scholar Award from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

As he enters the home stretch for his undergraduate studies, Jordan is sometimes amazed what he has learned, what he has done and who he has met.

“I've had experience that I never thought I would have,” he said. “I was 19 and I was handling spacecraft hardware that was going to the moon, of all things. You have to step back and think about what you're doing and how crazy it is at a certain point.”

Crazy good, that is. In addition to his academic achievements, Jordan has established himself as a researcher, a key member of several groundbreaking teams working on projects destined for space and a mainstay in the Space Technologies Lab, which is located in the MicaPlex at the southeastern edge of campus and run by Dr. Troy Henderson.

“That's been the most influential part of my time here,” Jordan said. “I was actually able to author my own paper for the first time over the past couple months. That was fun since I was presenting that research at the recent AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. So, it's a great lab, there are great people, and you get to work with really cool equipment.”

What is the Astronaut Scholar Award?

Jordan’s work helped him become the second Embry‑Riddle student to earn the Astronaut Scholar Award. The prestigious honor provides financial assistance and, perhaps more importantly, a chance to make key connections in the burgeoning space industry.

“I actually knew Grace Robertson (the first astronaut scholar in 2021), and we worked together on a few projects,” Jordan said. “She told me to apply, and I was there when they came to present her award. I was able to talk with people from the foundation and I thought, ‘all right. These people seem pretty cool.’”

Jordan credits Dr. Brittany Davis, Embry‑Riddle’s director of Prestigious Awards and Fellowships, for “getting me to that next stage of actually getting the scholarship.”

“Being an [Astronaut Scholar], you join this community,” he said. “You get to meet all these really important people in the industry, connections, you can't put a price on.”

Behind the accolades are, of course, years of hard work and dedication. Jordan was an integral part of the EagleCam project, which is set to snap the first-ever third-person photo of the Intuitive Machines Nova C lunar lander touching down on the Moon.

“I got involved with that pretty much as soon as I got into the lab because I had prior experience on my own with electronics and that realm,” Jordan said. “And that's what they needed at the time. I actually walked in the day we got hardware. So, it was really perfect timing.”

Real Time Real Experience

He’s also part of the team working to help capture images and video of the first commercial spacewalk being planned for the Polaris Dawn mission, led by Embry‑Riddle alum Jared Isaacman (’11). The project is dubbed LLAMAS, which Jordan says stands for “Literally Looking At More Astronauts in Space.”

“We’re in a joint relationship with the Polaris Dawn crew and engineers at SpaceX,” he said. “We have this little triangle of groups, and we all work together.”

For LLAMAS, Jordan is serving as the structural design lead, stepping away for his usual work with electronics and software.

“We have a good group,” he said. “It's coming along very well. It's definitely been a lot of fun.”

Going forward, Jordan says his ultimate career goal is to work on spacecraft propulsion systems with a potential pitstop in graduate school first. For now, Jordan is grateful for the opportunities he is enjoying thanks to Embry‑Riddle.

“I'm definitely looking forward to working more through the end of my senior year in the Space Technologies Lab, doing more publications and getting more research going,” he said. “I'm working on some more papers right now with the other lab members and we have the EagleCam launch coming up, so we're looking forward to that. And then the LLAMAS project, which will likely happen around the same time. So just a lot of anticipation for some amazing stuff coming up.”

When Brady Slaughter (’21) graduated from Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, it helped him launch the career he had always dreamed about.

It also helped deepen his connection with his grandfather, Bob Slaughter, who graduated from Embry‑Riddle in 1961 when the university was building its reputation as an aviation education powerhouse from a site near Miami International Airport.

His Grandfather’s Journey at Embry‑Riddle

Bob, now 82, earned his Airframe & Powerplant license and gained a skillset that saw him through a stint in the U.S. Air Force, helped him earn his commercial pilot’s license and then land a job as a maintenance technician at National Airlines, one of the dominant carriers in Miami during the 1960s and 70s.

“I went to National Airlines because they had an opening, and out of all the people who applied, I was the only one qualified because I had my degree from Embry‑Riddle, the A&P license,” Bob said.

Bob stayed with National after the airline merged with Pan Am, which itself went under in 1991. He continued working as a maintenance technician for several carriers before retiring from AirTran (now part of Southwest) in 2007.

Along with the way, Bob said he worked on aircraft ranging from “Lockheed Electras to DC-10s and 717s, 727s, 737s, 747s, 757s, everything. I worked on them all.”

Like Grandfather, Like Grandson

Although Brady was aware of his grandad’s aviation career, it was until after he had chosen to attend Embry‑Riddle that he found out Bob was an alum. That the two shared a love for the inner workings of machines was more or less a given.

“I think I knew I wanted to be an engineer since middle school after I found out what engineers did,” Brady said. “And then I saw Riddle that they had aerospace and mechanical and everything else. And they had EcoCAR and all that stuff, so I was like, ‘Yeah!’”

Brady’s dad Brian Slaughter, a veteran now serving in the Army Reserves as a Colonel and Brigade Commander, is a Senior Supply Chain Strategy and Capture Manager with General Dynamics Mission Systems. Because Brian didn’t use his G.I. Bill benefits, he passed them along to his son.

“I was able to use the full benefits and the Yellow Ribbon scholarship to go to Riddle and get a good engineering degree out of it,” Brady said.

He also got a great career, accepting a full-time job offer he received from Oshkosh Corporation in Wisconsin the month before he graduated. After nearly a year at the renowned maker of specialty trucks and access equipment, Brady is one happy Embry‑Riddle alum.

“I love it,” he said of his job. “The team is awesome; the company puts employees first and it shows with how long they've been there [since 1917]. It’s basically the perfect company to work for and be there for a long time.”

Enjoying Aviation’s Premier Event

Living and working in the city that hosts EAA AirVenture, one of the world’s premier aviation events, also gave Brady a chance to invite his grandparents up to attend the 2022 show. Bob, who sported an Embry‑Riddle T-shirt, went to an alumni event with Brady and spent the rest of the day immersed in all things aviation.

“My grandparents really enjoyed the airshow events and alum event, along with me showing them where I work just east of the airport and some of the trucks I work on,” Brady said. “I think that brings it even more full circle.”

While Bob spent his career working on aircraft, Brady’s focus is closer to the ground. He was immediately attracted to the EcoCAR project at Embry‑Riddle, which is aimed at developing new technology for more efficient and eco-friendly ground vehicles.

“EcoCAR is focused on now and the future engineering stuff with hybrid technology and all that stuff,” said Brady, who worked with the EcoCAR team as his senior capstone project. “Being able to supply the engineering aspects within the group, that definitely helped me in getting this job.”

He also credits his two internships, including one last summer with a different division of Oshkosh Corporation, with paving a smoother path for his career to follow.

Grandad Bob is thrilled his grandson has graduated from his alma mater.

“Everybody here is totally proud of Brady and his accomplishments and everything he did, and Embry‑Riddle was the right place just for him to complete his education,” Bob said. “And it turned out to be a good move.”

Collin Anderson graduated from Embry‑Riddle in 2018 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He currently works as an Aerospace Engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation as a commercial space transportation safety inspector. Collin shares his experience with Embry‑Riddle and how it has helped with his career.

How has being an Embry‑Riddle graduate impacted you since graduation?

Everyone knows the aerospace industry is a small one. Now narrow it down further to just the space industry. I constantly find myself interacting with Embry‑Riddle alumni. Of those, most of them are aerospace engineering majors who understand the rigor of Riddle's program. Saying you have an Aerospace Engineering degree from Embry‑Riddle holds a good amount of weight in this industry.

What was your favorite Embry‑Riddle experience?

My favorite Embry‑Riddle experience was the fall of my freshman year when we had Wings N' Waves. There is nothing cooler than the Thunderbirds performing over your head while you're wading chest deep in the Atlantic Ocean.

How did Embry‑Riddle prepare you for your future? 

Pursuing an aerospace engineering degree from arguably the school with the toughest curriculum in the country really helped with my time management skills. In high school, I never had to work hard to succeed, and freshman year broke that bad habit rather quickly. Not only that, but I still use lessons I learned in technical report writing to this day.

What class influenced you the most and why?

While I don't use orbital mechanics routinely for my job, space mechanics with Dr. Seo was truly the class where it felt like I was doing something directly pertaining to my major. The final project was to design and plot our own GPS constellation in Matlab while simultaneously calculating for gravitational perturbations. As a second semester sophomore, this class was refreshing after all of the general education requirements.

Did you participate in any clubs, and what did you enjoy most about it?

I was a part of the Avion Newspaper for about three years. It allowed me to do things no other school, or frankly other club, could offer. I was able to interview the Thunderbirds right next to their F-16s when they arrived in Daytona; I flew on board NASA's SOFIA aircraft for the Triton Occultation in 2017; and as almost a foreshadowing moment, I would routinely set up pad cameras for SpaceX and ULA launches at Cape Canaveral.

What is your best advice for future students?

My advice to students, both current and future, is that while GPA is important, don't let it be your sole focus while in school. Try a new activity. Meet new people. Don't forget your hobbies and what brings you joy. College is less about what to learn and more about how to learn. 

Legos first inspired Alijah McDonald’s dream of a career in engineering. From Myrtle Beach to Daytona Beach, he’s engineering his future.

Aerospace Engineering student and South Carolina native Alijah McDonald’s passion for engineering began at an early age.

“Since I was really little, I always enjoyed building stuff,” he said. “That morphed into Lego Robotics in middle school and then further transformed into high school robotics.”

McDonald attended Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology (AAST), a STEM high school where he was involved in a pre-engineering program that ran alongside his traditional classes.

This program helped him further develop skills through computer-aided design and engineering design projects. For his senior project, he studied orbital mechanics and even designed, manufactured and tested a homemade rocket motor.

Why pursue your aerospace engineering degree at Embry‑Riddle?

“I ended up choosing Embry‑Riddle not only because I was aware of the prestigious aerospace engineering program, but the opportunities I saw that are available to students here,” he said. “Not only are there some amazing clubs to be a part of on campus, but even things like the career fair and networking opportunities that presented themselves to students at this university were appealing to me.”

After the start of his first semester, he took advantage of these opportunities and was offered an internship at Rolls-Royce for Controls Engineering. Additionally, he joined the rocketry club on campus, ERFSEDS.

“When I joined my freshman year, I was taken under the wing of a senior helping design a payload for one of the club’s competition teams, Project Artemis,” he said. “It was my first introduction to ‘electronics in rockets’ and ever since I’ve been kind of hooked.”

How does the Boeing Scholars program help students?

As a Boeing scholarship recipient, McDonald is proud.

The scholarship also matches his vision for his future. While it may not yet be a complete picture, he believes that as long as he is contributing to the world in some capacity – whether it be through cutting-edge spacecraft development or defense systems used for the greater good – he’ll be fulfilled in his career.

With the help of the Boeing Scholars Program, McDonald has had the full experience at Embry‑Riddle. For future Eagles, his advice is to try new things, adding that “whether that is joining a club that seems interesting or exploring your hobbies and interests, always be seeking your passion.”

“College is about more than just taking classes and getting your degree,” he said. “It’s about figuring things out about yourself and how you operate.”