Southern State student chosen to compete for NASA program
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His letter starts out: “My name is Michael Malloy. I am a 55-year-old man that has lived a good life.” It’s a surprisingly optimistic letter from a man who now finds himself among the unemployed. But that’s Michael.
After 33 years in electrical maintenance at Calmar MeadWestVaco (MWV) in Washington Court House, Michael watched his company close most American operations and move the business to locations in Mexico and China.
“Like everyone in the plant, I was shocked, mad,” he said. “Disappointed.”
Because he found himself out of work due to foreign competition, Michael became eligible for a Trade Relocation Allowance (TRA), a weekly allowance payable to adversely affected workers enrolled in training.
“I was allowed to further my education, and I have gone to school at Southern State Community College for over a year now and have received good grades,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to further my education and receive a degree.”
Michael is enrolled in Southern State’s electrical/electronics technology program and expects to graduate this spring or summer with an associate of applied science degree. Recently, he learned of an opportunity available through NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) for the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program.
“I thought, ‘why not?’ I always wanted to know how I measured up in the world,” he said.
And so he wrote a letter: “My name is Michael Malloy. I am a 55-year-old man that has lived a good life.” It’s a humble beginning with a humbling end: “The opportunity to go to Texas and have the experience of training at Houston is something I would never expect to happen, although the chance to attend a seminar like this would be profound. I hope you give this displaced worker a thought when the decision is made.”
Larry Hartsock, instructor of electrical engineering at Southern State, chimed in with a vote of confidence. “Michael is proactive and will ask me in advance for the lab assignment so he can be prepared for it,” Hartsock said. “If there are unsatisfactory results, he will come back on his own time and rework it to find out what went wrong.”
Michael recently was notified that the pool of applicants was narrowed to 260 finalists and that he is among them. Now comes the hard part. The finalists have been given four bi-weekly assignments to make an abstract proposal of a robotics mission to Mars complete with a drawing of the craft, as well as a timeline, budget and formal proposal for the mission.
The 90 finalists with the highest scores will be invited to participate in a three-day program at one of two NASA sites: Johnson Space Center in Texas or Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Participants will collaborate on a team project directed by NASA engineers; attend engineer, scientist and astronaut briefings; tour NASA facilities; and interact with students from across the nation.
“Community colleges are an important part of the academic landscape, and NASA is proud to be working with these students to continue their interest and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “This innovative project gets students engaged in actual engineering design and production—from concept to build-out—that simulates the processes NASA uses in designing robotic explorers for solar system destinations. By letting them experience first-hand the challenges and excitement inherent in space exploration, we may be cultivating NASA’s workforce of tomorrow.”
After graduation from Southern State, Michael plans to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He and his wife Tami have three grown children. Twenty-seven-year-old C.J. has been enlisted in the U.S. Army for eight years, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Lindsay, 24, and her husband both graduated with honors from Eastern Kentucky University, and she currently is working as an art teacher in Sydney, Ohio. Tara, the youngest at 18, is attending Southern State Community College alongside her father.
They are Michael’s inspiration to propel his life forward: “Seeing all my children succeeding makes me want to move forward in my own life.”[[In-content Ad]]
After 33 years in electrical maintenance at Calmar MeadWestVaco (MWV) in Washington Court House, Michael watched his company close most American operations and move the business to locations in Mexico and China.
“Like everyone in the plant, I was shocked, mad,” he said. “Disappointed.”
Because he found himself out of work due to foreign competition, Michael became eligible for a Trade Relocation Allowance (TRA), a weekly allowance payable to adversely affected workers enrolled in training.
“I was allowed to further my education, and I have gone to school at Southern State Community College for over a year now and have received good grades,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to further my education and receive a degree.”
Michael is enrolled in Southern State’s electrical/electronics technology program and expects to graduate this spring or summer with an associate of applied science degree. Recently, he learned of an opportunity available through NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) for the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program.
“I thought, ‘why not?’ I always wanted to know how I measured up in the world,” he said.
And so he wrote a letter: “My name is Michael Malloy. I am a 55-year-old man that has lived a good life.” It’s a humble beginning with a humbling end: “The opportunity to go to Texas and have the experience of training at Houston is something I would never expect to happen, although the chance to attend a seminar like this would be profound. I hope you give this displaced worker a thought when the decision is made.”
Larry Hartsock, instructor of electrical engineering at Southern State, chimed in with a vote of confidence. “Michael is proactive and will ask me in advance for the lab assignment so he can be prepared for it,” Hartsock said. “If there are unsatisfactory results, he will come back on his own time and rework it to find out what went wrong.”
Michael recently was notified that the pool of applicants was narrowed to 260 finalists and that he is among them. Now comes the hard part. The finalists have been given four bi-weekly assignments to make an abstract proposal of a robotics mission to Mars complete with a drawing of the craft, as well as a timeline, budget and formal proposal for the mission.
The 90 finalists with the highest scores will be invited to participate in a three-day program at one of two NASA sites: Johnson Space Center in Texas or Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Participants will collaborate on a team project directed by NASA engineers; attend engineer, scientist and astronaut briefings; tour NASA facilities; and interact with students from across the nation.
“Community colleges are an important part of the academic landscape, and NASA is proud to be working with these students to continue their interest and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. “This innovative project gets students engaged in actual engineering design and production—from concept to build-out—that simulates the processes NASA uses in designing robotic explorers for solar system destinations. By letting them experience first-hand the challenges and excitement inherent in space exploration, we may be cultivating NASA’s workforce of tomorrow.”
After graduation from Southern State, Michael plans to pursue his bachelor’s degree. He and his wife Tami have three grown children. Twenty-seven-year-old C.J. has been enlisted in the U.S. Army for eight years, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Lindsay, 24, and her husband both graduated with honors from Eastern Kentucky University, and she currently is working as an art teacher in Sydney, Ohio. Tara, the youngest at 18, is attending Southern State Community College alongside her father.
They are Michael’s inspiration to propel his life forward: “Seeing all my children succeeding makes me want to move forward in my own life.”[[In-content Ad]]