It is officially May and my first semester of graduate studies has come to a close. The last 6 months have been so eventful, but so enriching in many different ways. I can’t wait to tell you about the last 6 months of my life!
Over the Spring 2023 semester, in addition to working at the Admissions Office and as a blogger, I got the opportunity to work as a graduate student assistant for the College of Business, partaking in different campus-wide events. I was able to continue to serve as the President of the Society of Women in Space Exploration (SWISE) Embry-Riddle chapter, promoting diversity and women empowerment in the field of STEM and space exploration through our outreach and meetings. SWISE attended beach cleanups, tabled around campus, and attended the E-week awards ceremony at the College of Engineering where we were awarded a plaque for our continued efforts in the fields of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I also had the opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends more than ever! It seems like the busier my schedule has gotten, the more organized my life gets…
There were so many other cool opportunities this semester including volunteering to table at the Graduate Programs table for the College of Business, presenting to the New Smyrna Public Library about the ARTEMIS program, and continued work for Sidus Space in Cape Canaveral.
Sidus Space got to honor one of our employees at the We Venture Women Who Rock Awards Ceremony. It was a nice luncheon that showcased all the awesome women in all sorts of different lines of work who were nominated!
Earlier in the semester, I attended one of the astronomy open house nights at the College of Arts and Sciences. My friend and I attended the public lecture where we got to see an hour-long presentation from SETI’s Seth Shostak about alien exploration in the universe. We also got to head over to participate in cool STEM arts and crafts, as well as look through the 3-meter telescope on the 5th floor!
I got to spend time with my family and friends too. I ran a St. Patrick’s Day 5K race in New Smyrna with one of my best friends and then got to enjoy pizza while doing homework!
Being an alumni is an honor, but I am even more grateful that I get the opportunity to continue my education as a dual Master’s student pursuing my M.S. in Systems Engineering and an MBA simultaneously. I received an alumni package in the mail that was a nice gesture and testament to my legacy at Embry-Riddle. I am so grateful to be on such a beautiful campus!
As many of you might know, I graduated Magna Cum Laude with my B.S. in Spaceflight Operations in December 2022. It was a beautiful ceremony that I will never forget, honoring all the hard work I put into my undergraduate degree. I know this graduation was only one more in the books of many still to come.
My last bit of good news (for now): over Christmas break and into the new year, I got engaged! It was on Christmas day in front of our friends and family. It was such a beautiful surprise and the perfect end to my year!
Wow! What a jam-packed semester. I made Dean’s List, passing both of my classes and having a 3.5 GPA. I am so excited for more adventures in the Fall semester. I am already looking into Ph.D programs, like MIT’s Ph.D in Astronautics and Aeronautics or Stanford University’s Ph.D in Astronautics. This year has been great so far, now time for a fun, relaxing, and much-needed summer break. My fiance and I are headed to Orlando in 2 weeks for a 4-day Disney vacation. I got our Disney tickets discounted through the university. It pays to be a student employee! Also, I will be working full-time for Sidus Space while continuing my research on radiation shielding and preparing to present at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2024 (fingers crossed)!
I am so grateful to be an Embry-Riddle student with so many awesome opportunities still to come. Cheers to the summer semester, no matter if you are pursuing classes, working, or just relaxing on vacation half the time. Everyone deserves a relaxing break… Reach for the stars!
