In this week’s On Orbit podcast episode, we hear firsthand about the impact the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship is making. Patti Grace Smith was a pioneer in the aerospace industry who served as the head of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. She broke many barriers as a Black woman and was an inspiration to many. The Patti Grace Smith fellowship honors her legacy by working to combat racial inequity in the aerospace industry. 

In this episode we hear from two fellows about how they have been impacted by the fellowship. AJ Bekoe was a Patti fellow in 2022 with Ball Aerospace and is now a member of the fellowship’s executive team. A graduate of Syracuse University, AJ was hired by her host company and she is now a Systems Engineer at BAE Systems. 

Spencer Roberts is a member of the class of 2024, interning at ABL Space Systems. He is studying Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University

AJ and Spencer share their experiences with the intern program and talk about the value of the community it builds, from the cohort of fellows who spend a week together in Washington, D.C., to the network of former fellows and mentors. They also share their perspectives on how companies can step up efforts to recruit a diverse workforce, and tips for students applying for the fellowship. Applications for the class of 2025 are due by Tuesday, October 1.