Last month a non -profit organization that recognizes exceptional non -braduated women and gender lines with space and aviation internships, the Brooke Owens Fellowship announced the latest class 'Brookies'.
This ninth grade of 45 students was selected from more than 400 applications, and they will manage fan to space companies throughout the country, from large companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to smaller startups such as huge and stoke. There they will be linked to mentors at the executive level that will help launch their career.
However, there was a cloud about this newest group of exceptional students: they can be the last class Brookies who receives internships in space travel.
“Ten years ago this was embraced by everyone and seen for everyone as a win-win,” said Lori Garver, a former deputy manager of NASA and co-founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship. “But we are not sure if we can continue under the new administration.”
Dei is Doa
The reason for this is an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20 to put an end to diversity, equity and inclusion programs or dei. “Americans deserve a government that is committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and spending costly taxable means only to make America great,” says the order.
The Brooke Owens Fellowship, as well as other similar programs such as the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship for black students, work together with companies in the industry. The fellowship organizers screen hundreds of applications, creating a pool from which the companies can hire the way they want to offer trainees and mentorship. Most similarities for the 2025 class “Brookies” were signed with companies prior to the issue of the executive order. Another organization that promotes various internships, the ZED Factor Fellowship, started its screening process a little later and recently told potential applicants that it had made the “heartbreaking” decision to stop the selection of 2025 Fellowships.
