YTC Student Participates in NASA Virtual Experience
York Technical College student Amy Hall attended the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) Virtual Experience. The Virtual Experience began on August 3 and ended on August 9, 2022.
During the virtual experience, students learn about NASA and its different missions and careers in engineering and science. "Students form teams and design a mission to explore the Moon or Mars. Each student joins a design team, fulfills a team role, manages a budget, and develops communication and outreach strategies. Students also attend events hosted by NASA subject matter experts, receive information on how to apply for NASA internships, and virtually tour NASA’s unique facilities during the event," said a NASA media representative.
Hall successfully completed the five-week online NCAS course, earning her a spot to participate in the Virtual Experience. Hall is among many community college students from across the country that participated. Hall stated, "one of the requirements was nine hours of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.) courses. So that was an easy one. My York Tech instructors also encouraged us to apply. I've had the same three instructors throughout my time at York Tech, so when I needed a letter of recommendation, it was easy to reach out to someone familiar with me."
Hall expressed that she's learned many different things throughout her experience but working full-time was one of the most challenging parts to balance. "The hardest part was balancing work and NCAS." Hall is thankful for the opportunity and encourages other students to apply, "Having an opportunity like this for community college students is awesome! I am so glad I decided to apply and only wish I had applied earlier!"
"NCAS inspires community college students to advance in S.T.E.M. fields and opens doors for future careers at NASA. NCAS alums can often move on to NASA internships and possibly ultimately enter the NASA workforce. It is rewarding to see a student's progression from NCAS participant to NASA colleague," says Torry Johnson, Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Manager.
For additional information, please contact NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars
by email at JSC-NCAS@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at (281) 244-7029. For more information, visit:
https://go.nasa.gov/ncas
For more on MUREP, visit: www.nasa.gov/education/murep
For updates on social media, follow: #NCAS2022 #MUREP