As a child, Grace Walsh, sophomore in Business, never imagined she would earn an internship with NASA. Walsh, who is a double major in supply chain management and marketing, will head to Houston, Texas in January to participate in the prestigious Johnson Space Center Pathways Intern Employment Program. 

The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students and offers work experience that can range from aerospace engineering to business. According to the program’s website, approximately 160 students from 50 participating universities are chosen for the program. 

While attending a campus business fair in January, Walsh noticed NASA’s booth and decided to ask about their internship opportunities.

The leadership qualities and take-charge personality that Walsh has become known for allowed her to pursue this program, according to John Hedeman, former assistant dean for Honors in the College of Business. 

“I met Grace three years ago, when she was a senior in high school,” Hedeman said. “She impressed me, so I gave her my business card, which I do to many students I meet, and told her to stop by my office when she got on campus. She was in my office the first week of class. She had the ambition and confidence to approach NASA as a business student, and snatched up the opportunity that was presented to her.”

Hedeman, who retired last spring, attributes Walsh’s success as a student and ability to take advantage of opportunities to hard work and a “bubbly” personality.

“Grace has always been a people-person. She loves communicating and expressing herself, whether it be through art, writing or speaking,” said Neera Walsh, Grace’s mother.

Walsh said her interest in the “new and growing field” of supply chain management developed because she can associate an actual product to her efforts.

“I like that I will be able to actually see the effects of my work. I will be improving the efficiency of a business and helping cut costs,” she explained.

Walsh said the strong family community of the organization and that she is a “people-person” made the NASA internship much more appealing than others.

“NASA is always innovating and seems as though it would be such an exciting place to work,” Walsh explained. “I am always open to new experiences, but I think moving to Houston, as opposed to staying here at U of I, which is sort of an expansion of home, will prepare me to move anywhere for a job in the future.”

Walsh said she is excited to move forward on her own merits in the new environment. She will work in procurement during the spring 2013 semester, work in finance the following summer and will choose a department to work in for her third semester with NASA.

Her mother and father, Neera and Tom Walsh, said Grace’s continuous hard work academically has prepared her for this position. Grace goes further to credit her preparation to leadership skills gained through the University.

“I rushed the professional business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi first semester of my freshman year,” Walsh said. “From the organization, I learned how to hold myself in a professional manner and how to conduct myself for a good interview.”

Though Walsh will not be on campus during the spring semester, she still plans to finish her required classes to graduate with the rest of the class of 2015.

Walsh’s parents said that she and her family are more than ready for the world of NASA, and Grace said that she is even more excited to represent the Illini family in Houston.

“I will be given an orange and blue identification lanyard, so I will always have a bit of the University with me,” Grace added, with a bright smile. “Houston better be ready, because I’m coming.”

Hannah can be reached at features@dailyillini.com.