Ever since she was a child, CJ Giovingo has looked to the stars.
"I was really into astronomy," she says. "My family tells stories about how fascinated I was."
That interest, coupled with a knack for math, laid the groundwork for her later studies. Giovingo, a native of New Orleans, is currently completing her bachelor of science degree in astronautical engineering at Capitol College, having enrolled in 2012 to continue her education.
This summer brings a significant new opportunity. She will be flying to California to take up an internship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
"I’ll be working on the Mars 2020 Rover mission,” Giovingo explained. “The goal for the summer is to prepare for their systems requirements review, which is one of the first big reviews in the NASA process. It's going to be pretty exciting."
Studying astronautical engineering is a "return to her roots," the 32-year-old said. Although she previously majored in astrophysics at Louisiana State University, she took a break from academics during her twenties to become an activist and organizer.
In that role, she helped run campaigns for the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the Human Rights Campaign, SEIU and other unions, and public interest research groups. Her work took her across the country and brought her rich, multifaceted experiences. And yet she never forgot her initial love of astronomy and math.
"I guess it was something inside me," she said.
Giovingo's return to higher education came via community college, where she did preliminary coursework before transferring to Capitol. Now, in addition to her full-time studies, she also serves as student ambassador to Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), which boosted its relationship with Capitol last year. An articulation agreement between the two institutions makes it easier for BCCC students to transfer to Capitol for their bachelor's degree.
Giovingo feels a strong sense of commitment to helping other students make the transition into a four-year degree program. "It's something I'm really passionate about, because I came back through community colleges and it was a wonderful experience for me," she said.
She is eager to spread the word about the difference Capitol can make in terms of opening up new career horizons.
"It's had a profound impact," she said. "I don't think that if I'd gone anywhere else I'd have been successful so quickly in getting back into school. From the first day I came to campus, from the first class, every professor and administrator I spoke with was focused on my learning, and on making sure I had the best experience possible."
Capitol's professors are the "it factor," Giovingo said. "I'm getting to learn from people who do the work, and I'm gaining real-time experience and advice. When I speak to potential employers, and they learn about the things that we do, the projects that we have, they are really impressed."
"I already feel confident enough to walk into an interview and know that I can get that job and do that job well, because I've received such robust training here," she said.