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40 EXTRAORDINARY UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS BROOKE OWENS FELLOWSHIP

CHOSEN FROM RECORD-SETTING APPLICANT POOL, EACH FELLOW HAS EARNED A JOB AT A TOP AEROSPACE COMPANY, AN EXECUTIVE MENTOR, & MORE

JANUARY 23, 2019 – WASHINGTON, DC – After receiving a record-breaking number of applications to join one of the most celebrated groups of rising stars in the aerospace industry, the Brooke Owens Fellowship has selected 40 students to join its newest class of “Brookies.” These young leaders—currently completing their undergraduate degrees at universities across fifteen US states, the United Kingdom, and Canada—have been selected for their professional aptitude, their creativity, their leadership ability, and their commitment to serving their communities. Having demonstrated talent and potential of the highest order, these women and non-binary students will be extremely welcome additions to an industry that is currently estimated to be approximately 85% male.

Recently honored by both the readers and the editors of Space News as the industry’s Unsung Hero of the Year, the Brooke Owens Fellowship provides each student with a challenging job at one of the nation’s leading aerospace institutions, as well as an executive level mentor committed to helping the Fellows achieve their considerable potential. 

The selection process for the Class of 2020 was by far the program’s most competitive yet, with applications pouring in from 566 students at 290 universities in 15 different countries. With only 40 offers extended, the program is more selective than universities like MIT, Caltech, and the Naval Academy.

The Brooke Owens Fellowship was created to help transform the aerospace industry by providing opportunities and access to talented young professionals from historically underrepresented genders. Named for beloved space industry pioneer D. Brooke Owens (1980 – 2016), the non-profit initiative was founded and is still managed by three close friends of Brooke’s: Lori Garver, the former Deputy Administrator of NASA and current CEO of Earthrise Alliance; Cassie Lee, the former Head of Space Programs for Paul G. Allen and COO of Earthrise Alliance; and William Pomerantz, the Vice President of Special Projects and first employee at Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit.

Reflecting on the latest class, Ms. Garver says: “Our distinguished alumnae have already left big shoes to fill, but our Class of 2020 promises to be our strongest yet. The extraordinary response we’ve seen from students around the world has shattered the myth that women and non-binary students are not interested in aerospace careers.  The overwhelming interest from dozens of additional premier aerospace companies lining up to employ our Fellows is also convincing proof that our industry recognizes their talent and potential. These Fellows have unquestionably earned some of the choicest jobs available for young professionals, and we are thrilled to help them start what are sure to be successful and fulfilling careers.”

The 2020 Brooke Owens Fellows are:

  • Sophie Amiton, a Sophomore at Princeton University majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a certificate in Applications of Computing. Originally from Portland, OR. Ms. Amiton will work at Sierra Nevada Corporation in Louisville, CO. 

  • Nina Arcot, a Senior majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Originally from Fair Lawn, NJ. Ms. Arcot will work at Virgin Orbit in Long Beach, CA.

  • Gabrielle “Gabi” Beach, a 4th Year in a 5 year dual-degree program majoring in Physics and Mechanical Engineering at Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame. Originally from St. Petersburg, FL. Ms. Beach will work at Ball Aerospace in Arlington, VA.

  • Katie Bishop, a second year studying Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Atlanta, GA. Katie will be working at Virgin Galactic in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

  • Claire Buffington, a Junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Originally from Atlanta, GA. Ms. Buffington will work at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA.

  • Megan “Megs” Cambra, a Sophomore majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Bellevue College in Washington State. Originally from O’ahu, HI. They will work at Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, CA.

  • Shannon Cassady, a Junior double majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Originally from Bellevue, Washington, Ms. Cassady will work at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA. 

  • Mika Clark, a Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at California State University, Los Angeles. Originally from Barstow, CA. Ms. Clark will work at Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, AZ.

  • Mary Cooper, a Sophomore majoring in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering at Stanford University. As a military child, Ms. Cooper called many bases home.  Ms. Cooper will work at Aerospace Industries Association in Arlington, VA.

  • Kristina Dong, a Junior majoring in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. Originally from San Jose, CA. Ms. Dong will work at Blue Origin in Kent, WA.

  • Lainey Drake, a Sophomore double majoring in Physics and Theatre at Wake Forest University. Originally from Suffolk, VA. Ms. Drake will work at Virgin Galactic in Las Cruces, NM. 

  • Jane Gillette, a Senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Alabama. Originally from St. Louis, MO. Ms. Gillette will work at The Boeing Company in Cape Canaveral, FL.

  • Rebekah "Bekah" Godwin, a Senior at the University of Dubuque, double majoring in Flight Operations and Aviation Management with a minor in Spanish. Ms. Godwin grew up in the Midwest and calls Dubuque home. She will work at Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, CA. 

  • Camber Hortop, a Sophomore majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Most recently from Ann Arbor, MI. Ms. Hortop will work at OneWeb in McLean, VA.

  • Allysa Kazhe, a Sophomore majoring in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Originally from Elk Grove, CA. Ms. Kazhe will be working as a Spacecraft Systems Core Engineer intern at Maxar in Palo Alto, CA. 

  • Monica Kim, a Junior in the Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering program at the University of Washington. Most recently from Washington State's North Olympic Peninsula. Monica will be working as a GNC intern at The Aerospace Corporation in Los Angeles, CA. 

  • Lindsey Koelbel, a Junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Arizona. Originally from Mesa, AZ. Ms. Koelbel will work at HawkEye 360 in Herndon, VA. 

  • Courtney Leverenz, a Senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Originally from Oak Lawn, IL. Ms. Leverenz will work at The Spaceship Company in Mojave, CA. 

  • Tanya Mittal, a Senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering and minoring in Nano-science and Technology at North Carolina State University. Originally from Jacksonville, NC. Ms. Mittal will work at Made in Space in Jacksonville, FL. 

  • Hira Nadeem, a Senior majoring in Electrical Engineering at McMaster University in Canada. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario. Ms. Nadeem will work at Planet in San Francisco, CA.

  • Jade Nguyen, a sophomore majoring in Bioengineering at Stanford University. Originally from St. Peters, MO. Ms. Nguyen will work at Draper in Cambridge, MA. 

  • Kaitlyn Olson, a senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Applied Mathematics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Originally from Tampa, FL. Ms. Olson will work at Northrop Grumman in Dulles, VA.

  • Rowan Palmer, a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Yale University. Originally from Knoxville, TN. Ms. Palmer will work at Lockheed Martin in Denver, CO. 

  • Olivia Plumb, a Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Atlanta, GA. Ms. Plumb will work at Accion Systems in Boston, MA. 

  • Shannen Prindle, a Sophomore majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Originally from Herndon, VA. Ms. Prindle will work at the Smithsonian Center for Earth and Planetary Studies in Washington, DC.

  • Caroline Reid, a Senior studying Astrophysics at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from San Jose, CA. Ms. Reid will work at Astranis in San Francisco, CA.

  • Eva Luna Reiling, a Sophomore dual-degree student studying Strategy & Management Consulting at Emory University and Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Arlington, VA. Ms. Reiling will work at Airbus U.S. in Herndon, VA.

  • Kinjal Ruecker, a Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Washington, DC. Ms. Ruecker will work at Virgin Orbit in Long Beach, CA.

  • Neha Sangana, a Sophomore majoring in Engineering Mechanics at Johns Hopkins. Originally from Austin, TX. Ms. Sangana will work at Bryce Space and Technology in Washington, DC.

  • Saba Shaik, a Junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Princeton, NJ. Ms. Shaik will work at Lockheed Martin in Denver, CO.

  • Beimnet Shitaye, a Senior majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Originally from Lorton, VA. Ms. Shitaye will work at XPRIZE in Los Angeles, CA. 

  • Alaina Sliwinski, a Senior majoring in Business with a specialization in Finance at the Ohio State University. Originally from Cleveland, OH. Ms. Sliwinski will work at Space Angels in New York, NY. 

  • Julia Stankiewicz, a Junior at The University of Manchester in the UK. Originally from Gdańsk, Poland. Ms. Stankiewicz will work at Planet in San Francisco, CA. 

  • Emma Stohlman, a Junior majoring in Astrophysics at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Originally from Dumfries, VA. Ms. Stohlman will work at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.

  • Sanjana Tewathia, a Senior majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. Most recently from Plainsboro, NJ, Ms. Tewathia will work at Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, CO.

  • Claire Thomas, senior in Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. Most recently from Houston, TX. Ms. Thomas will work at Made in Space in Jacksonville, FL.

  • Rachel Thomas, a sophomore majoring in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. Originally from Boulder, CO. Ms.Thomas will work at United Launch Alliance in Denver, CO.

  • Surya Vohra, a Senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, San Diego. Originally from Los Angeles, CA. Ms. Vohra will work at Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA.

  • Samarie Wilson, a Junior majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Originally from Burnsville, North Carolina. Ms. Wilson will work at Avascent in Washington, D.C.

  • Vicky Woodburn, a Junior majoring in Journalism at Northwestern University. Originally from Akron, OH. Ms. Woodburn will work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. 

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