NASA Academy Developing Tomorrows Leaders, Today - cont'd

Residing at University of Maryland, College Park in the Sigma Delta Tao Sorority House, program participants have the opportunity to bring work home. Throughout their stay, they have wireless Internet access in the house to work on both their group and individual projects whenever they can. This access time is necessary according to Rosage, because assigned activities keep students busy far beyond the traditional forty-hour workweek.

Rosage said student interaction with current successful leaders is a major cornerstone in the Academy's mission. But, Academy interaction is not limited to Goddard management. On several occasions, guest speakers come to the sorority house for dinner and a lecture. Key guests have included astronaut/ Senator, Jake Garn, and space activist, Peter Diamandis.

Students are also given many opportunities to further their knowledge of NASA's external community. Field trips include Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Center, Langley Research Center, and Wallops Flight Facility.

These are the type of trips that can inspire career dreams of becoming leaders in aerospace research and development. NASA Academy Alumni and present Operations Manager of the Academy, Sara MacLellan, remembers striking up a conversation during a field trip to Kennedy Space Center. MacLellan said that interaction helped instill in her a higher level of confidence in her approach towards her future prospective career.

This confidence and inspiration that Sara alludes to is the backbone of the NASA Academy, says Rosage. He also said that NASA Academy does not merely want to provide college students with a job experience for the summer but develop future leaders.

NASA Academy Alumni and present Logistics Manager, Paul Gosling, looks back on his experiences as an Academy intern as a once in a lifetime opportunity. "The connections I formed here were really stronger than some of the connections I formed in college."

Participants in NASA Academy at Goddard can be compared to diamonds in the rough. The hope is to inspire further development of these future leaders… as only NASA can so that their brilliance will one day shine throughout the agency.

For more information on the NASA Academy, you may go online to http://www.nasa-academy.nasa.gov/. You may also contact David Rosage, Program Manager, at 301-286-0904.