Alana Falter’s journey with NASA’s Pathway Program

Alana Falter’s aerospace adventure began when she was just 12 years old at space camp.  She is now majoring in aerospace engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and recently participated in NASA’s well-known Pathways Program.

As a part of her application process for the program, Falter was given the opportunity to apply to four different NASA centers.

“Personally, I want to do manned spaceflight, so I applied to Johnson Space Center in Houston, and that’s where I got my internship,” Falter said. “Another great thing is that Pathways includes more than just STEM — there’s HR, business, finance and more,” she said. “You meet lots of interesting people.”

There are numerous ways to get more involved once accepted into the Pathways Program, and with hundreds of interns located at the Houston location, there are many opportunities to create new connections. By leading the history committee at the Johnson Space Center, Falter was able to embrace her love for space history and bond with others over the topic. Other committees include yearbook, professional development, and tours and lectures. The variety of clubs displays the emphasis NASA places on having their interns explore their interests.

“It’s all about giving people the tools to figure out where they want to go and how to get there,” Falter said.

For her internship, Falter was in the Environmental Systems branch of the Spaceflight Systems Division. She worked with flight controllers to create data displays for mission control for the International Space Station and the upcoming Artemis II mission.

 “What’s really awesome about Pathways is you’re really treated like a full-time employee, so you do real work,” Falter said. “You go to real meetings. You’re not the one who’s just taking notes — you’re the one giving presentations.”

When it comes to applying for NASA’s Pathways Program, Falter strongly encourages others to be persistent and have an open mindset. The program is a sure way to gain knowledge in many different areas of professional life, and with little to no professional experience needed, Falter believes there is only one true requirement — passion.

“There are so many people who have gone through this and are willing to help, so don’t be afraid to ask,” she said. “You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be passionate.”