Aisha Bowe is grabbing national media attention as she prepares to cross the boundary into space as part of an all-woman crew aboard Blue Origin’s upcoming New Shepard flight on April 14. But she’s not the only tie Washtenaw Community College has to the launch.
RELATED: WCC Alum Makes History in Space
As Bowe prepares to achieve a long-time dream of crossing the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space, a fellow WCC alumnus is playing a critical role in ensuring the safety and reliability of the rocket through pre-launch and post-flight testing.
Bowe, who attended WCC from 2003-2005, has reached celebrity status thanks to her success as a tech entrepreneur and a personal mission to travel the globe advocating for STEM education, particularly for underrepresented communities.
She’s gathered more than 76,000 followers on Instagram and been the subject of numerous national television and magazine interviews.
Not quite as famous – but with a similarly impressive educational path – is Nathan
Perry, who earned a Pre-Engineering Science Transfer associate degree from WCC in 2020. Following directly in Bowe’s footsteps, Perry built on his start
at WCC by studying Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan.
Today, Perry is employed as a Launch Vehicle Test Engineer for Blue Origin, working hands-on with the crew capsule, the section at the top of the New Shepard rocket that carries scientific payloads and astronauts during launches.
Perry was a non-traditional student who hadn’t been in a classroom for six years before returning to WCC with a singular mission: To work on rockets.
“After initially enrolling at WCC in 2012, I realized I lacked a clear sense of direction and decided to step away and build a career as a martial arts instructor,” said the Pinckney native. “After taking time to reflect on my goals, I realized my passion for the space industry and my dream of working on rockets.
“With its affordable tuition, supportive environment and strong academic programs, WCC was the clear choice to build the foundation I needed to achieve my goals.”
Perry said joining the STEM Scholars program at WCC “turned out to be the best decision I made in setting myself up for a successful academic path that led to a career in the space industry.” Through that program, Perry and fellow scholars toured the NASA Glenn Research Facility in Ohio and explored universities around the state to make an informed decision about where to transfer.
From martial arts instructor to rocket scientist, Perry’s career trajectory is a unique one. His ultimate goal is to play a role in developing sustainable habitats in space.
“I hope to one day leverage my experience working on a human-rated space vehicle to contribute to future projects aimed at establishing a multi-planetary human presence,” Perry said. “Whether it’s building the infrastructure for lunar bases or developing the technology needed for Martian colonies, my goal is to play a pivotal role in making life beyond Earth a reality.”
Tags: Adult Learners, Aisha Bowe, Alumni Profile, Pre-Engineering, Transfer