Portland Aerospace Scholarship

In 350 words or less, please describe your ideal job post-graduation. If unsure, please describe what makes you passionate about the aerospace industry. My ideal job after graduation would be working in a research and development environment at an organization such as NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), or a similar institution focused on advancing aerospace technology. I am most motivated by projects that push the boundaries of what is possible and require engineers from multiple disciplines to work together toward a common mission. What excites me most about aerospace is the opportunity to contribute to something larger than myself. Whether it is designing hardware for a spacecraft, developing new avionics systems, or supporting planetary exploration missions, I am drawn to work that expands humanity's understanding of the universe. The idea of helping build a system that ultimately lands on another planet or enables a new scientific discovery is incredibly inspiring to me. My involvement with the Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS) has reinforced this passion. Through PSAS, I have had the opportunity to work on challenging engineering projects, collaborate with talented teammates, and continually develop new technical skills. I find tremendous satisfaction in solving difficult problems and learning from engineers with different backgrounds and perspectives. Ultimately, my ideal career is one where I can continue learning, contribute to meaningful aerospace missions, and help develop technologies that enable future exploration. If I could spend my career working on ambitious projects that advance space exploration and scientific discovery, I would consider that a tremendous success. In 350 words or less, please describe your ideal aerospace-focused project, either technical or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) centric. My ideal aerospace-focused project would be one that directly contributes to the exploration of other worlds. Throughout history, exploration has expanded humanity's understanding of its place in the universe, and I believe planetary exploration represents the next chapter of that journey. I would be especially excited to work on missions focused on the Moon, Mars, Europa, or other destinations within our solar system. Whether developing avionics, instrumentation, communications systems, or spacecraft hardware, I would be proud to contribute to a mission that helps answer fundamental scientific questions. One project that particularly captures my imagination is the search for evidence of life beyond Earth. Missions to destinations such as Europa, with its subsurface ocean, have the potential to transform our understanding of biology, planetary science, and the prevalence of life in the universe. Even if such missions do not find evidence of life, the knowledge gained would be invaluable. Beyond the scientific objectives, these projects represent the best aspects of engineering: solving difficult problems, working across disciplines, and creating technologies that have never existed before. Contributing to a mission that expands human knowledge while inspiring future generations would be my ideal aerospace project. In 500 words or less, please explain how this scholarship will help you in your aerospace career. This scholarship would have a significant impact on my ability to complete my education and pursue a career in aerospace engineering. I grew up in foster care and entered adulthood without the support systems that many students can rely upon. As a result, I have had to build my life and career largely through my own efforts. Immediately after high school, attending a university was not financially possible. Instead, I pursued technical training and entered the workforce so I could support myself. Years later, I made the decision to return to school and pursue a degree in electrical engineering because I wanted the opportunity to contribute to challenging and meaningful engineering projects. While I am proud of how far I have come, earning this degree has required significant financial sacrifice. Balancing educational expenses with the costs of supporting myself remains an ongoing challenge. This scholarship would help reduce that financial burden and allow me to focus more of my time and energy on my education, research, and aerospace projects. It would also provide valuable recognition of the work I have put into reaching this point in my academic career. Most importantly, this scholarship would help me continue progressing toward my goal of contributing to the aerospace industry. Through organizations such as the Portland State Aerospace Society, I have already gained experience working on ambitious engineering projects and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. With continued education and opportunities like this scholarship, I will be better positioned to contribute to future aerospace missions and help advance space exploration. For me, this scholarship is more than financial assistance—it is an investment in a student who has worked hard to overcome obstacles and is committed to building a career dedicated to engineering, innovation, and exploration.