Michael Keen is flying through unique experiences at rocket speed during his time at Nunez Community College.
The Aerospace Manufacturing Technology major from Slidell recently completed Missions 1 and 2 of NASA’s invitation-only Community College Aerospace Scholars program during the summer and fall of 2024. Keen’s application for the exclusive program included nine hours of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) coursework that he completed as a high schooler enrolled in Dual Enrollment courses at Nunez.
NASA’s Community College Aerospace Scholars program (NCAS) is a competitive admission program that introduces students to NASA’s research and operations methods via mock missions completed online. Participants work on individual projects and team missions.
Mission 1 familiarized Keen with NASA’s history, mission and goals through independent work and weekly meetings with subject matter experts. Mission 2 assigned him to a team of 12 participants, each with a specialized role, tasked with designing a remote-controlled rover, as well as a mission for the rover to complete.
For more information on NCAS visit www.go.nasa.gov/nas.
