Written by | Randi Riggs
Six Amarillo College students are flying high after getting accepted into a competitive NASA program. Phillip Boothby, Nicolette Coulson, David Do, Brittany Love, Paige Miller and Crystal Nelson were chosen to participate in a five-week online session through the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program, or NCAS. “Being accepted into this program is a huge deal, as it is the first real step I’m taking towards my dream career of being a researching astrophysicist,” said David Do, a physics major concentrating in astrophysics.
“Working at NASA would be a dream come true, and this program is my first step toward achieving it.” In order to apply for the opportunity, the students had to have completed nine credit hours in science, engineering, math or computer science.
They also had to write a short essay about why they wanted to participate in the program and provide a letter of recommendation from a science or technology instructor at the college. “I was really encouraged to apply by people who had participated in the NCAS program last session,” said Brittany Love, a mechanical engineering major specializing in bioengineering.
During the online session, the students take quizzes and complete a final project. The top-scoring scholars from the online session will receive invitations to attend an all-expense-paid, three-day workshop this spring at either Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The online experience ended Wednesday, and the projects will be graded before the winners of the trip to the NASA facilities are announced.
One hundred other participants are competing for the prize. “I honestly can’t describe the proper words about what it means for me to have been given this opportunity to go through the NCAS program,” Love said.
She said she is eager to find out if she will be accepted for the next step.
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