From the moment I heard Aisha Bowe’s voice, I knew the interview would be soul-stirringly powerful. There’s a certain calm resolve that commands even your spirit to stand at attention. And one of the most powerful aspects of Bowe’s story is her mindset: “I made up this life, and I put it on a piece of paper. I said, ‘You know what? I’m going to go to university from a community college. I’m going to study aerospace because that is the coolest, most bada** thing I could think to do... and I don’t care what anybody else thinks.’”
Her journey from an uncertain high school student to an aerospace engineer and entrepreneur is nothing short of extraordinary. Bowe faced significant challenges early in life, including academic struggles and a lack of encouragement to pursue STEM fields. Rather than accept the limitations imposed on her, that determined young woman with Caribbean roots took control of her destiny.
Bowe enrolled in community college, pursued knowledge to excel in aerospace engineering, and eventually transferred to the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s in space systems engineering. (And she still sits on the university’s Aerospace Department Industry Advisory Board.)
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Her unwavering belief in herself led her to NASA, where she worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center, before founding STEMBoard, an award-winning technology solutions company. Now, she is set to become the first Black woman confirmed to fly with Blue Origin’s New Shepard, marking yet another milestone in her trailblazing career.
Also, through her work in STEM education, Bowe has dedicated herself to mentoring students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, proving that success is possible for anyone who dares to unapologetically rely on self-belief. She has gone beyond investing time, and raising millions for efforts to support STEM education and resources.
From her experiences at NASA to the founding of STEMBoard and her upcoming spaceflight, Bowe talked with me about her journey—which was everything but straight and narrow—and how we all can lean heavily into our unique calling no matter what.
xoNecole: What was your first memory as a child that sparked your interest in what you do today?
Aisha Bowe: Honestly, I don't have one. I wish I could tell you that I wanted to do this since I was a child, but the reality of it is that I didn't because I didn't think it was possible. I mean, when I was growing up, I didn't see anybody who was doing what I'm doing now, and even when I started to communicate later on in life, saying I want to, people laughed in my face.
xoN: So talk about the moment that led you into aerospace. What was the catalyst then? What was the path that led you to that first opportunity?
AB: I graduated high school. I got by, and I mean, I barely graduated high school and I ended up in a community college. I did not apply for college. I was discouraged from applying for college because my high school guidance counselor was like, "Look, we have a low GPA. You're more than likely not going to get accepted anywhere that is reputable. I really think that you should go to community college and focus on a trade.'
And at the time, she said, cosmetology, that was all she had. And I remember leaving that meeting and being like, you know, a lot is expected of people before they really know who they are.
And even more than that, you can't pick who you're born to. You can't pick the circumstances that you come into. You have to figure out before oftentimes, you can even vote how it is that you are going to transcend. And as a 17-year-old, my choice at the time was, okay, community college seems reasonable.
And so I started upon my first year in community college, and that was the best thing that happened to me, because I was in an environment with people from all walks of life, and they told me about their experiences. And I really had to think about why I thought that I could not do big things, and a lot of it was because I was under the impression that I wasn't perfect. I wasn’t in the National Honor Society. I didn't have a high GPA. And where do people without high GPAs go? Back when I was in high school, they go into a trade. And all of those things are just not true.
"I could do big things if I decided that I was going to do big things."
And so I literally I made up this life, and I put it on a piece of paper, and I said, You know what, I'm going to go to university from community college.
xoN: You made a decision, you prayed on it, and you took action! That is wonderful. And it paid off. Now, fast-forward: You are the first Black woman confirmed to fly with Blue Origin on New Shepard. What did that path look like, and what has it required of you?
AB: In answering your question, I want to go back to this idea that everything you do matters. Oftentimes in life, you are preparing for a role that may not exist yet, and so it is incumbent upon you to show up and just be the best at what it is that you're doing at the time.
My first day at NASA, I met a woman who was the wife of an Apollo astronaut. And she doesn't remember meeting me, but I remember meeting her, and it was a really amazing moment for me to be so close to a piece of space history that I was inspired by. What she was doing—reaching out and inspiring kids, people like me to go into science and engineering. And so I did the same thing.
"I dedicated my time to the community. I mentor students. I worked on initiatives that would help people figure out how to come to NASA."
And in doing that, it led doors to open for me that allowed me to leave where I was, to create a company, and to, today, have the distinction of saying that I've keynoted in nearly a dozen countries worldwide, for the United States as a global speaker talking about education and empowerment, and it would just so happen that that brand and that reputation led someone to call me up and say, there's an opportunity that I think you should pursue, and that became this mission and the space flight, and that's where I wish I could tell you all of the things that I did to step into this moment. I made decisions that gave me more options.
xoN: I love that because you're basically saying you did the work, you did what you were passionate about doing, you networked, and basically the opportunity came to you from the foundations that you were able to set.
AB: Yeah… I don't want to give you, like, a windy answer, but I think sometimes when I talk to people, they want to hear like a nice, neat path. And the reality of it is that that's not true, right? It wasn't like I woke up one day [and] everything was perfect.
"I've had some wins. I've had some losses. I've had some really challenging moments. And out of all of those things, I run a company that's getting ready to be 12, right? I have the distinction of being able to say I founded and raised millions of dollars to help people pursue their own goals and their own dreams."
But, this is not about me. It's just that the decisions that I made to do the things that matter are why I'm here. [I think people should] do what it is that you feel called to do. I felt called, and I love being an aerospace engineer. Now I get to practice my field every single day and I'm running an engineering company. It has been a joy and the highlight of my life.
For more of Aisha, follow her on Instagram @aishabowe.
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