CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — MIT senior Tiera Guinn has a lot on her hands. She's a college senior, she's planning a wedding and, of course, she's working on the rocket launch program for NASA.
"Since I was 11 years old, I've had the passion of designing airplanes and rockets," Tiera told FOX25's Elizabeth Hopkins. Tiera's dream is now a reality, following an internship with Boeing her sophomore year that led to a part-time job in a project for NASA that involves working on the NASA space launch system.
To Tiera, rocket science is no match for her schedule. She's wicked busy, but told Elizabeth that creating a detailed schedule helps her juggle it all. On top of school assignments and working for NASA, Tiera is also planning a July wedding to her fiancé, who is also an aerospace engineering student. Tiera and her fiancé both start full-time jobs with NASA in August.
Her life can be hectic at time, but Tiera said doing the kind of work that directly effects astronauts is totally worth it.
"There is some pressure in it, but it's just that feeling of knowing, wow, I can help somebody reach their dreams someday," Tiera said.
Elizabeth asked Tiera if it's important for young girls to access the kind of math and science programs she benefited from. Tiera said it's more important for those young girls to pursue their passion --- whatever it is. For Tiera, getting a job with NASA helped her fulfill her dream. She said the most exciting thing about her work is the possibility of making Mars a reality within the next 10 years.
"I look at that rocket and I say, 'Wow...I'm a part of this, I'm a part of making this,'" Tiera said, "and that's what keeps me going each day."