Separated by some 15 years at Washtenaw Community College, the paths of two alumni intersected with Monday’s Blue Origin’s launch into space.
Aisha Bowe, one of the six all-female crew members who crossed the Kármán international space boundary line on the New Shepard-31 mission, and Nathan Perry, a Blue Origin Launch Vehicle Test Engineer, proudly attribute the start of their extraordinary careers to their time at WCC.
Their achievements illustrate the transformative impacts of a community college education.
“Seeing Aisha soar into space – and knowing Nathan played a vital role in keeping her and the crew safe – was like witnessing a dream realized, not just for them, but for our entire WCC community,” said Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, President of the college, which hosted a launch countdown for students, faculty, staff and community leaders and organized promotional events at Bowe’s local high school and middle school.
“Aisha and Nathan are proof that you can start at a community college and go anywhere – even to the stars,” Bellanca said.
Bowe would agree.
“I never really thought I could go into space, although I really wanted to go. And today just confirmed that dreams are real and sometimes reality is wrong,” Bowe said in a post-launch interview livestreamed by Blue Origin.
Bowe often recalls how her first “A” in a WCC pre-algebra class snowballed into one success after another. Soon, the voices that advised her to pursue a career as a cosmetologist were far behind.
Steps away from the crew capsule after landing in West Texas, Bowe reflected on her journey into space. “I will never be the same. When you get up there and you see the earth and it’s so beautiful and it just fills the screen – and it’s not just your window, it’s like everybody’s window and there are no boundaries, there is no border, it’s just earth – it’s incredible.”
Bowe documented on her social media channels the intense training she undertook to prepare for launch, as well as the purpose of the mission.
“I was a science payload operator, flying multiple experiments. One with NASA’s TRISH (Translational Research Institute for Space Health) studied how women’s bodies respond to spaceflight an area critically understudied, and essential for deep space missions,” Bowe wrote afterward on her social media channels.
“I also tested how plants like chickpeas and sweet potatoes grow in microgravity to support future food security. AND, I also flight-qualified new hardware clearing it for future use in orbit.”
Bowe studied at WCC from 2003-2005, and Perry graduated in 2020. Both transferred to the University of Michigan, where they earned bachelor of science degrees in Aerospace Engineering. Bowe also earned a master’s in Space Systems Engineering.
Aisha Bowe
“Washtenaw Community College changed my life. I graduated high school feeling lost and uncertain about my future, but at WCC, the small class sizes, dedicated professors and accessible, hands-on learning environment gave me the courage to take control of my own path,” Bowe said in the weeks leading up to the launch.
After WCC and U-M, she worked as a NASA rocket scientist. “I built the confidence and skills that set me on a trajectory from community college to NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur and … Blue Origin astronaut. Your past doesn’t define your future. You do.”
Bowe has dedicated her career to expanding access to education and opportunity and travels across the globe as an inspirational speaker.
After NASA, she founded STEMBoard, an Inc. 5000-recognized engineering firm, and created LINGO, a hands-on coding startup kit with the goal of equipping 1 million students with STEM skills.
Bowe frequently returns to WCC to speak and engage with students.
Last Fall she worked with Fluke Corporation to secure a significant STEM equipment donation for science labs on campus. In 2020, she endowed the Aisha R. Bowe eMpower Engineering Scholarship for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution to pursue engineering. Among Bowe’s numerous recognitions is the 2021 Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Michigan Community College Association.
Nathan Perry
Unsure of his own career path initially, Perry stepped away after half a semester in 2012 to pursue martial arts for six years while reflecting on his goals. He re-enrolled in 2018.
“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,” he said.
Perry joined WCC’s STEM Scholars program, which he said “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.
As a Launch Vehicle Test Engineer for Blue Origin, Perry plays a critical safety role working on the crew capsule, the section at the top of the New Shepard rocket that carries scientific payloads and astronauts during launches.
Tags: Aerospace Engineering, Aisha Bowe, Blue Origin, Nathan Perry, STEM Careers, STEM Education, Space Launch, Space Travel