Flinn Scholar Class of 2024
Zahrah Ralph has been named one of just 23 students nationwide selected for the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship Class of 2026. The highly competitive fellowship connects outstanding undergraduates with leading aerospace companies across the country.
Named in honor of aerospace pioneer Patti Grace Smith, who led the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. The fellowship is designed to strengthen the nation’s aerospace workforce by investing in high-potential Black and African American undergraduate students and connecting them with leading aerospace companies.
Zahrah shared her reflections on what this recognition means to her and what she is most looking forward to in the experience ahead.
What first sparked your interest in aerospace, and when did you realize this was the field you wanted to pursue?
I only became interested in aerospace when I got to college. Studying engineering, I had a lot of different interests revolving around problem-solving. My brain is constantly looking to learn more and add more to my life. From involvement in many clubs to learning engineering, business, and science, rocket science intrigues me because it is so complicated and vast, and seems like another challenge I could fully immerse myself in.
Additionally, with the small percentage of Black engineers in this field, I am all about pursuing dreams and representing at the same time.
You were just named a Patti Grace Smith Fellow. The fellowship empowers Black excellence in aerospace by providing undergraduates with their first work experience in the aerospace industry and mentorship, among other things. What does that mean to you personally and professionally?
I am so blessed to be selected. The students chosen are extremely brilliant and curious, and I am excited to join the community and make new friends.
I am also excited to meet my fellow Class of 2026 scholars. Professionally, this is the starting point of my career in rocket science and allows me access to a network of successful Black engineers who can further inspire me.
What are you most excited to gain from this fellowship experience?
I am so excited to live in Virginia. This is my first time moving out of state, especially since I chose ASU for college, and I am glad I am getting this experience before graduation. I have gained a lot of independence living alone in college, and this internship experience will further develop my skill set and carry me into my adulthood journey.
How has being a Flinn Scholar influenced your journey leading up to this moment?
Being a Flinn Scholar instantly surrounded me with ambitious, like-minded students. In my Flinn Scholar Class of 2024, we became very close after our group study abroad, and I am fortunate to be close to such an inspiring community. Flinn gave me confidence to seek out other opportunities that seem out of reach. I realized that everything is possible with a little grit and determination, and I owe that lesson to the Flinn Foundation.
What would you say to a younger student who is curious about aerospace but isn’t sure they belong in the field?
Having an interest is more than enough to get started. For me, I have a lot of varying interests, whether that is engineering, marketing, or science. I realized that college is the opportunity to indulge yourself in different learning experiences, which is exactly what the aerospace industry is to me. I know very little about rocket science, which is the exact motivation that pushed me to secure an internship in this field. I have such a strong passion for learning, and that fuel takes a student far.
As for internships, employers care less about what you know, but more about your character and how you can absorb new knowledge. As long as you believe in yourself, you can belong in any field you desire.
What factors would you suggest for high school students trying to choose a career?
Choosing a career, especially fresh out of high school, can seem overwhelming. At the largest university in the nation, ASU, with over 400 majors, it feels scary to pick the right one. However, after being in college for a year and a half and learning a lot of new material, I realized that passion is not instant; it is nurtured. I learned to fall in love with my challenging engineering courses even though they felt impossible.
After finishing my first semester of college with a 4.2 GPA, all of those impossible challenges seemed very within reach for me. So worry less about picking the right major and allow yourself to grow, change, reconsider interests, and eventually you will find a passion for a lifetime.