Three Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University students have been named 2025 Patti Grace Smith Fellows — a prestigious honor that provides them with paid internships at leading aerospace companies, professional mentoring and educational grants up to $2,500.

Undergraduates McKenzie Jean-Baptiste, Michael Jordan and Omoniyi Bankole are among a select group of 35 students from 24 universities chosen as fellows by the award-winning , which aims to accelerate the careers of future aerospace leaders.

“These students are simply incredible,” said Patti Grace Smith Fellowship co-founder and commercial space executive Wiliam Pomerantz in a announcing the 2025 class. “I’m delighted that the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship is helping open the door for them. Now that these fellows have a foot in the door, there is no stopping them.”

McKenzie Jean-Baptiste, Software Engineering senior

Internship:

For McKenzie Jean-Baptiste, a senior major, the fellowship will give her hands-on experience in the aerospace industry before she graduates in December. She will spend the summer interning at Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a Norwegian global supplier of ground station services for satellites.

“I’m really excited to have this fellowship,” said Jean-Baptiste, who grew up in Miami as the eldest of six siblings. “I know I made my father and mother proud. It means a lot to me.”

She will be working in systems engineering in KSAT’s Denver, Colorado office.

“They have reached out to me and been very welcoming,” said Jean-Baptiste. “I have already been assigned a mentor.”

Jean-Baptiste said she wanted to be an astronaut and a pilot when she was younger, but she later discovered a love for software engineering in college.

“I like that you can build something out of nothing,” she said.

Jean-Baptiste is currently president of the (NSBE) chapter at the Daytona Beach Campus and has served as a Resident Advisor for four years on campus. She said she has learned leadership skills in both roles while making lasting relationships.

“It’s taught me how to advocate for a group of people, like my residents, and make executive decisions,” she said.

Jean-Baptiste, who also has a minor in Cybersecurity Engineering, said she is eager to launch her career in software engineering and excited that her first work experience is in the aerospace industry.

“I just find it cool how I wanted to do something with space when I was younger, and now, I have found my way to doing something in space,” said Jean-Baptiste. “Maybe it was meant to be.”

Michael Jordan, Homeland Security and Intelligence junior

Internship:

Michael Jordan, a junior majoring in , will also gain hands-on experience this summer as an intern at SES, a Luxembourg-based communications satellite operator.

“Receiving the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship is an incredible honor,” said Jordan. “It not only provides financial support but also connects me with top industry professionals and mentors who can help guide my career.”

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Jordan said he has a lot of family members who work in government, which sparked his interest in national security and cybersecurity. He also has minors in Cybersecurity Application and Management, Cybersecurity Engineering and Computer Science and hopes to work in cybersecurity within the aviation industry.

He is a board member of the (OBAP) at the Daytona Beach Campus and an instructor and competitor at the .

“I joined OBAP to help foster a supportive community for minority students pursuing careers in aerospace, and it has provided me with incredible networking opportunities that have helped me grow both personally and professionally,” said Jordan. “Both OBAP and Muay Thai Fight Club have given me valuable leadership skills, discipline and a strong sense of community.”

Omoniyi Bankole, Aerospace Engineering sophomore

Internship:

Omoniyi Bankole, a sophomore majoring in , is headed to an internship at Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado, this summer. Thanks to the fellowship, he will be a systems engineering intern with a company team focused on deep space exploration mission strategy and advanced capabilities.

“I have always been really locked in and focused on my schoolwork,” he said. “My family is proud.”

Growing up in Mesa, Arizona, Bankole said aerospace engineering fits his interests in space, math and design. He is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (), the Black Student Union, and the at the Prescott Campus.

“The Rocket Development Lab relates to my major, but I also find that it is an outlet to develop my skills and gain experience through hands-on work,” said Bankole.

He said he wants to work on advancing technology in the space exploration field, whether it is with spacecraft, lunar landers or other launch vehicles.