Western New England University Student Carly Schneider Earns 2022 “Brookie” Fellowship

SPRINGFIELD, MA (03/11/2022) Carly Schneider, a junior Industrial Engineering major at Western New England University (WNE), has been awarded the renowned 2022 Brooke Owens Fellowship. Schneider is one of 51 fellows chosen for the 2022 class after going through a competitive application process. Fellows are selected based on their commitment to their communities, unique creative abilities, a record of leadership, exceptional talent, and a desire to pursue a career in aerospace.

“Receiving this recognition made me feel so proud of myself and all of the work I have put into my school career up until this point. Everything I am learning in the classroom now can (and will) be applied through this Fellowship, and I am so excited to see what that looks like in practice.” says Schneider on becoming a “Brookie.”

The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a nationally recognized nonprofit program that identifies undergraduate women and other gender minorities by providing space and aviation internships and senior mentorships while making them part of a lifelong professional network.

“I am thrilled (and not surprised) to see Carly recognized with this prestigious Fellowship. Not only is she an excellent student, but her track record of leadership and commitment to the community is really remarkable. With this combination of skills and mindset, there is really no limit to what Carly can achieve. I can’t wait to see what she works on next!” says Dr. Michael Rust, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of Honors.

As one of the recipients, Schneider will have the opportunity to partake in the annual Brooke Owens Summit in Washington, DC, this summer and begin her internship at Relativity Space in Long Beach, CA. Relativity Space was founded in 2015 and focuses on developing manufacturing technologies, launch vehicles, and rocket engines for commercial orbital launch services.

Following her academic success, Carly continues to impact the WNE campus and community through her involvement. She is part of the TEDxWesternNewEnglandUniveristy organization, a Student Ambassador in the Admission Office, part of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board and the Industrial Engineering Student Advisory Board, and worked as an Intro to Engineering Teaching Assistant. Outside of the WNE community, she has been part of Pioneer Valley Transit Authority Undergraduate Research Assistant and participated in the Olin College Summer Institute.

Emily Calandrelli, a science communicator, host of Netflix’s Emily’s Wonder Lab, and part of the five-person executive team for the “Brookie” Fellows had this to say, “We are thrilled to have our most diverse class yet, continuing our push to bring incredible new talent into the aerospace industry. Aerospace is a challenging field with a global impact and an insatiable demand for talent, and these fifty-one students represent a vital influx of skill, creativity, passion, and purpose. As a group, this year’s Fellows represent more countries, races and ethnicities, and gender minorities than any previous class. We’re looking forward to watching them make their mark on the aerospace industry.”

The 2022 Brooke Owens Fellowship Program, founded in 2016, honors beloved industry pioneer and accomplished pilot D. Brooke Owens. The Fellowship continues to celebrate its ongoing mission and legacy to disrupt the historical gender imbalance in the aerospace industry by continuing to provide opportunities and access to talented young professionals who come from historically underrepresented genders.