Hopkinsville, KY – Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) student Joshua Rozmarynowski, 20, of LaFayette, Kentucky has been selected to travel to NASA’s Stennis Space Center February 20-23 to participate in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) onsite experience.
Rozmarynowski has been selected as one of 171 community college students from across the U.S. to be part of the NCAS onsite experience.
He is studying math and physics at HCC with plans to transfer to Austin Peay State University after graduation to continue his physics education and eventually complete his graduate degree in theoretical particle physics.
“My dream job would be to become a college physics professor at a research institution where I could both teach and conduct research,” explained Rozmarynowski. He started at HCC as a dual credit student while at Christian County High School then took a short break after graduation before returning to HCC. “I came back to HCC because it is more affordable and the class sizes are smaller so you have more personable interaction with the professors,” Rozmarynowski continued.
The NASA five-week online activity culminates with a four-day on-site event at a NASA Center and 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, forming a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach.
The onsite experience at NASA includes briefings by NASA subject matter experts, information on how to apply for internships and a tour of NASA’s unique facilities.
NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars 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.
With this activity, NASA continues the agency’s tradition engaging the nation in NASA’s mission.
“NCAS not only inspires community college students to advance in STEM fields, but it also opens doors for future careers at NASA. 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,” Joeletta Patrick, Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Manager
For additional information, please contact National Community College Aerospace Scholars by email at JSC-NCAS@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at 281.483.0493.
For more information, visit: http://ncas.aerospacescholars.org/
For more on MUREP visit: www.nasa.gov/education/murep
About Hopkinsville Community College
For many Pennyrile Kentucky region and Fort Campbell residents, higher education begins at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC). The college serves thousands of area residents each year as a comprehensive regional learning center providing academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; prebaccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning.
As part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, HCC is a critical component to transforming the region’s economy by providing citizens with the education and training needed for high growth, high wage careers.
For more information, visit Hopkinsville.kctcs.edu
