Aerospace Engineering Graduate Starts Career on the Ground Floor of Space Force
Jon O'Neill
- Marketing Copywriter
- 386-226-6093
- oneillj5@erau.edu
Rabbitt recently started her active-duty commission in the U.S. Space Force, one of just 250 recruits selected to begin Officer Undergraduate Space Training at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Rabbitt, who will serve as a space operations officer, is the first Flying Eagle from the Prescott Campus to be officially commissioned in the USSF. Four others from Prescott will soon follow her.
“It is really exciting,” said Rabbitt, who arrived at the storied base in early January. “I look forward to getting up and going into work every day. That’s how I know I made the right career choice.”
I really liked the connections that you can build at a smaller school,” Rabbitt said. “The professors were personable, and they always knew who you were. The teamwork and camaraderie were a big part of it as well and very similar to what I enjoy about being part of the military.
Why Choose Embry‑Riddle for Aerospace Engineering?
Rabbitt’s journey to join the country’s newest military branch began in her native Ohio, when her interest in space and all things NASA eventually led her to join the Air Force ROTC. When it came time for college, Embry‑Riddle rose to the top of her list and stayed there.“I knew it had a great Aerospace Engineering program and a strong ROTC program,” she said. “The stars kind of aligned, and I ended up with scholarships and a situation that I just couldn’t turn down.”
Rabbitt entered the Aerospace Engineering program, concentrating in Astronautics. After her freshman year, she did an internship with NASA that further clarified her chosen career path.
“NASA does this really cool thing with interns, where you can explore other areas beyond your internship,” Rabbitt said. “They have great mentors and when I got a chance to go into the control room and watch them work on experiments with astronauts on the ISS, I knew I wanted to do something like that.”
Embry‑Riddle Experiences Make the Difference
Rabbitt said her Embry‑Riddle journey helped her take all the steps she needed to earn the Space Force commission, with faculty and fellow students always there to provide support and encouragement along the way.There was also opportunity. Right before she graduated in May, an instructor told her about a summer internship not far from the Prescott Campus. Since she knew it would several months before her commission came through, she decided to try for it.
From June until mid-December, Rabbitt worked at Systems Engineering Group, a renowned Department of Defense contractor.
“I was in missile control, so I was able to keep building my skills in space operations,” she said. “It also felt good to know I was doing something to serve the country.”
Helping to Launch the U.S. Space Force
Since arriving in California, Rabbitt has been working with other newly commissioned lieutenants to get her unit up and running. When Rabbitt looks ahead to her future, she sees unlimited horizons.
“With four years in ROTC, I am really comfortable with the military structure,” she said. “I plan on making a career in Space Force, because we are building something new that is important for our country and for our future.”
As she settles in on the ground floor of a service branch that will literally reach for the stars, Rabbitt offers this advice to those who want to emulate her success:
“When you know what you’re really passionate about, get out and go for it. I followed my passion, and now I am doing something super great with it.”