UNM student receives aerospace fellowship

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A UNM student has been passionate about STEM ever since she was a little girl. “My first love was aerospace,” said Raven Otero-Symphony. “I have always wanted to be an astronaut.” That calling hit some hurdles.

“Growing up, I wasn’t directly encouraged to be in STEM, even though I could do it and I was slowly just discouraged from the field,” said Otero-Symphony.

Once she got to UNM, she decided to go for it anyways. “Slowly through those years I began to build confidence again,” said Otero-Symphony. That hard work and determination paid off.

Otero-Symphony is one of 51 students to receive the Brooke Owens Fellowship. “The Brooke Owens Fellowship is an internationally competitive cohort,” said Otero-Symphony.

“This fellowship was really, to me, a second chance that I can pursue that childhood dream and that I am good enough,” said Otero-Symphony.

She believes this fellowship will not only open doors but connect her with important people in the field. A once-in-a-lifetime chance.

“It definitely hasn’t hit me yet that I did it. It’s really just an incredible opportunity. I don’t think it’s going to hit me until I am actually in Washington, D.C,” said Otero-Symphony.

Not only is it a huge accomplishment. She’s also the first New Mexican to ever do so.

“I am extremely honored, I love my home state of New Mexico. I really do I believe that we’re just so unique,” said Otero-Symphony.

She’s ready to show everyone what New Mexicans are all about. “I was able to share a little of New Mexico already with some of the other interns and they loved it so, I am going to keep that energy going,” said Otero-Symphony.

Otero-Symphony leaves for the fellowship in June. She’ll be interning for an aerospace consulting firm, Avascent.