NASA Reopens Community College Aerospace Scholars Challenge with New Prizes and Career Fair

NASA has revived its Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) challenge, aiming to connect community-college students with aerospace careers through a two-stage virtual competition. In the fall cohort, up to 1,000 participants can submit work tying their studies to NASA roles and compete for a $500 award; those who succeed are invited to a spring virtual career fair where another 500 top entries may win $250. Project manager Alicia Baturoni Cortez noted the program’s goal of broadening career awareness and encouraging STEM degree pathways.

Former participants Kim Alexander and Ashley Rodriguez credit the challenge with securing NASA internships that led to Pathways positions in engineering and strategic communications. The initiative is run by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project, and registration ends on Monday, Sept. 28.