What is NCAS?

 

NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS)
opens doors for 2-year community college students
seeking a STEM degree. Students get a closer look at
NASA’s unique missions and research and learn how to develop their talents, interests, and passion to become future STEM professionals.

 

NCAS is a blended-learning experience comprised of a five-week online course and a four-day, on campus engineering design and robotics competition.

 

NASA on Campus takes the successful NCAS model implemented at NASA centers and trains community college faculty to achieve the same positive student outcomes on their local campus.

• Online Experience

  The online experience is a five week self-paced online course where scholars learn about NASA missions and research. 

   

  During the online experience scholars will:

  • Receive guidance and support from trained professional educators.
  • Interact with fellow aerospace scholars
  • Attend subject matter expert lectures 
  • Engage with NASA’s interactive online multimedia content
  • Complete quizzes and a final project.
• Onsite Experience

  Students who successfully complete the online course become eligible to receive an invitation to the onsite experience at their campus.

   

  During an onsite experience scholars will:

  • Compete in a robotic engineering design challenge
  • Tour NASA’s world-class research facilities
  • Network with NASA’s diverse STEM workforce
  • Collaborate with like-minded students in a team environment
  • Receive resume feedback from a STEM professional
  • Learn how to navigate NASA internships
  • Strengthen understanding of STEM by enabling powerful connections to NASA’s mission and work.
• Program Eligibility
  • High school graduate or equivalent
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Currently attend a U.S. community college
  • Concurrent enrollment or completion of 9+ hours of STEM coursework
  • Able to commit to a 5 week online session
  • Internet access
  • Have not previously attended an NCAS onsite event
• Application Information

  To complete the application you must provide:

  • Current community college transcripts that include:
    • Your name
    • Your school’s name
    • 9 hours of STEM courses, either completed
      or in progress
  • Contact information
  • Recommendation form to be completed by a professor
  • 300 word essay

  List of application questions

   

  Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive this email, please contact nasp@okstate.edu

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PATCH DESCRIPTION

 

 

BLUE LINE

The thin blue line evokes our home planet and the need to cultivate the next generation of explorers to reach for new heights, reveal the unknown, and benefit all human kind.

 

 

 

ICONS

The atom, computer, gears, and pi icons represent the students’ pursuit of degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM.

 

 

 

MARS

Mars is shown as theme around which teams of scholars compete to design, build, and test a robotic explorer.

 

 

 

NCAS TITLE

NCAS is bold and prominent atop Mars, representing the goal for community college students to boldly engage in NASA’s legacy of discovery, leadership, and opportunity.

 

 

 

SIX STARS

The six bright stars represent the Agency’s six areas of research and exploration: Earth, Flight, Humans in Space, Solar System, Technology and Moon to Mars. Through the online course and onsite experience, NCAS seeks to make NASA content relevant, compelling, accessible, and participatory.

 

 

 

TEAM COLORS

The red, gold, navy, and green arcs represent the four NCAS team colors.

  

 

 

 

The material contained on this website is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award Number 80NSSC17M0021. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.