Helping students reach new heights in science education will be the focus of a special presentation by Laredo Community College alumnus Susan Cabello on Wednesday, March 16.
Cabello is a magna cum laude graduate with associate’s degrees in criminal justice and geology from LCC and near completion of her baccalaureate studies in geology and biology at Texas A&M University at Kingsville. She will deliver her presentation about the educational opportunities that exist for science and engineering majors on Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Cigarroa Science Building, room 126.
College students are encouraged to attend this informative presentation, sponsored by the LCC Science Department. Cabello will discuss the Texas Aerospace Program, the NASA Hispanic Explorers Scholarship, the Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Academy and Robotics Internship and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador Program.
Cabello—a wife, mother of four and grandmother of three—transferred to A&M-Kingsville in fall 2003, after receiving an associate’s degree in geology in August 2003. Previously, she earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice in May 2002.
As an LCC student, Cabello was involved with the Science Venture Club as officer and an active member. She was also inducted to the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and held the position of vice-president. Additionally, Cabello founded the Laredo Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers in 2002 and made the Deans List several times.
But her interest to work in NASA grew when she was selected at LCC to participate in the first year of the Texas Aerospace Scholars Program for Community Colleges in April 2002.
While preparing to transfer to a university, Cabello said she applied and was selected to receive the NASA Hispanic Explorers Scholarship through the Hispanic College Fund.
It was the first year NASA offered this scholarship. Out of more than 2,000 applications, Cabello was one of 500 to receive this award.
From the 500 recipients, Cabello was then selected to be one of the top ten to visit the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland in Oct 2003.
Presently, at TAMUK, Cabello has participated in the Geology Club since 2003 and is now the vice-president. She was treasurer of the Society of Physics Students during the 2003-04 academic year and has been initiated into the Alpha Chi Honor Society.
In Jan. 2004, Cabello applied and was selected to attend the Goddard Space Flight Center NASA Academy during the summer session 2004. She was one of the 19 selected to attend that year from 900 applicants nationally and internationally.
The NASA Academy is an accredited institution and as an Academy alumnus Cabello is an accredited NASA Research Associate. Her project was to uncover buried craters in the Utopia Planatia Region of Mars. Cabello located and measured over 1,000 buried craters. Her work will be added to that of NASA Geologist Dr. Herbert Frey.
Presently, Cabello is preparing to graduate from TAMUK with a bachelor’s degree in science as a geologist with a minor in biology. She was selected to represent the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (in Pasadena, California) as Laredo’s Solar System Ambassador. Cabello serves the liaison between Laredo and the JPL.
She is also currently pending a volunteer position to assist NASA’s Johnson Space Center with the Community College Texas Aerospace Scholars Program.
For more information about Cabello’s presentation at LCC, contact LCC Science Department Chairperson Richard Renner by calling 721-5195.
Susan Cabello
Office of Marketing and Public Information
West End Washington St.
Laredo, TX 78040-4395
956- 721-5140
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