August 28, 2018
Story by Micah Oelze
Courtesy Photo
Mantz was one of 280 community college students from across the U.S. (one of five from Kansas) to be part of the NASA College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) on-site experience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center this summer.
“Since I was little, I have always been fascinated by the stars and caught myself wondering what is out there,” Barton Community College Sophomore Raley Mantz said.
Mantz discovered the NCAS program when she began searching for different internship opportunities. Working for NASA is one of her dream careers, so she knew this was right up her alley.
“While everyone was bored in middle school with physics and the planets, I was always very tuned in,” she said.
Her NCAS Journey began when Mantz was selected to participate in a five-week online activity program.
“The online experience gives you an in-depth understanding of NASA,” she said. “They also talked about how they are partnering with companies like SpaceX.”
A significant part of the online section is quizzes and projects.
“The project I chose was to make a useful Mars mission and what it would consist, why I chose the location, who would work it, how I would reach out to the public, what government facilities would benefit and what other ways it would society benefit,” Mantz said. “It was a huge 10-page essay I had to send in.”
Of the students who participated in the online portion, 280 were selected to take part in the four-day on-site experience.
“It was a super competitive process,” she said.
The on-site event at NASA’s Johnson Space Center offers students the opportunity to interact with NASA engineers and others as they learn more about careers in science and engineering. While at NASA, students form teams and establish fictional companies interested in Mars exploration. Each team is responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover, creating a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach. The experience also includes briefings by NASA subject matter experts, information on how to apply for internships and a tour of NASA’s unique facilities.
Listening to stories from NASA interns with different backgrounds ranging from the traditional studious intern to single mothers, was one of the most significant take-away experiences for Mantz.
“We met a girl who dropped out of middle school and got pregnant at 15. Now she is an intern at NASA through this program,” she said. “NASA has this stigma that it is for only Ph.D.s and it’s not. It is for people who are determined in any field who want to do research for society and figure out what is out there.”
With NASA being her dream job, participating in this program is something she hopes will help her in her future career.
If NASA does not work out, Matnz said anywhere she is happy is the best result. She plans to study Aerospace Engineering at Wichita State University after she graduates from Barton in December with an associate in physics.
NCAS is an activity funded in part by the Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, which is committed to engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in authentic learning experiences to sustain a diverse workforce.
“NASA College Aerospace Scholars not only inspires community college students to advance in STEM fields, but it also opens doors for future careers at NASA,” Joeletta Patrick, Minority University Research and Education Project Manager said. “NCAS has a legacy of alumni moving from NASA internships to and ultimately entering the NASA workforce. It is rewarding to see the progression of a student from NCAS participant to NASA colleague.”
For additional information, please contact NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars by email at JSC-NCAS@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at (281) 483-0493. For more information, visit ncas.aerospacescholars.org.