NASA Academy Developing Tomorrows Leaders, Today

Stereotypes often narrow ones perspective. Such is the case with the NASA Academy Program located at Goddard. While on the surface, this college intern experience sounds like other internships available to students through NASA, the truth is NASA Academy goes beyond a summer internship, challenging interns to expand their minds in the laboratory as well as after work.

NASA Academy is a resident summer program for a select few gifted college students who demonstrate an inexhaustible interest in aerospace engineering, astronomy and physics. The graduates of this program are on a path to become future leaders of the next generation of explorers.

Guillaume Collange, Academy intern, discusses his presentation, "Formation Flying Near Sun-Earth L2 Point Analysis and Design", with a Goddard employee.

Currently, there are eighteen Academy interns studying at Goddard. These interns are of national and international representation traveling here from across the U.S. and France. They will be completing their eleven weeks of intense study, August 8.

NASA Academy's goal is to introduce potential future leaders to the space industry and introduce the industry to potential future leaders. In fact Program Manager, David Rosage states, "The program is designed to help cultivate [the interns] leadership potential."

With the charge to select future leaders, the program is highly selective. Out of approximately four hundred applications, only sixty-five will be financed by their state. Out of these sixty-five, fewer than twenty will be accepted. The average Academy student is usually from one of the most selective college in the country, as a rising junior, senior, or a first or second year graduate student.

These interns have already demonstrated a considerable interest in pursuing a career in aerospace engineering. Most have, or are working toward, a degree in engineering, physics or aeronautics.

	Miguel Roman, Academy intern, discusses his presentation, "Modeling Urban Land - Atmosphere Interactions" with a Goddard employee.

Along with the several U.S. interns, the Academy accepted an international student. This summer, it is Guillaume Collange, a French college student studying Aeronautical and Space Engineering.

Founded in 1993 by Gerald Soffen, NASA Academy states that it's mission is "to give possible 'leaders' a view into how NASA, the university community, and the private sector function, set their priorities, and contribute to the success of the aerospace program."

Consistent with the mission, students maintain close ties within NASA even after graduation from the Academy. The student handbook further explains that they become part of a network of students and aerospace professionals through the NASA Academy Alumni Association.

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