September 22, 2023

Hinds CC sophomore student realizes dream with NASA research

"Now, I can see myself building robots and terraforming for a Mars space station.”
BY: Rhonda Dunaway

RAYMOND – Hinds sophomore and Hinds Connection member Lorien Harvey, 19, of Raymond was among the student applicants invited to attend the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program this past summer as an intern. She attended the internship and educational experience at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.

Harvey will graduate in Spring 2024 and plans to transfer to Mississippi State University where she will major in Biosystems Engineering, with an emphasis in environmental science. She said her academic interests were perfectly aligned with what the NCAS program seemed to be all about.

“I really liked how the program combined my two favorite subjects – biology and engineering,” Harvey said. “What I gained from the experience was that my dreams of going into space were not as far off as I thought they were. Now, I can see myself building robots and terraforming for a Mars space station.”

Students who attend the NASA summer camps get to experience what it might be like to work for NASA and they get to participate in activities that advance their abilities in STEM, which further prepares them for work in STEM fields. The program is divided into three missions crafted to challenge and increase student knowledge and skills while focusing on NASA’s mission goals, collaboration with peers and with experts in the field, plus giving them the opportunity to explore NASA’s career pathways.

To apply, visit the NASA STEM Gateway [stemgateway.nasa.gov] and sign up. Click on “Explore Opportunities” and look for “College STEM Experiences.”