ADVANCE student Enayah Rahman is a NOVA legacy as she joins a line of family members who have attended here as well. Her grandmother, mother and cousins all went to NOVA! She initially started as a dual-enrollment student, attending high school and NOVA at the same time. Now she is a dual-admission student, attending both NOVA and George Mason University at the same time.

She has already had considerable achievements in her academic career. She was selected last summer to be a part of Mission 2 of the Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS), a NASA program where selected community college students learn more about NASA’s work and careers in science and engineering. Students form teams and design a mission to explore the Moon or Mars.

Each group of students joins a design team, fulfills a role, manages a budget and develops communication and outreach strategies. Students attend events hosted by NASA subject-matter experts, virtually tour NASA’s unique facilities and receive information on how to apply for NASA internships.

The Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, funds NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars. MUREP commits to engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with authentic learning experiences to sustain a diverse workforce.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background:
I was dual enrolled here at NOVA since I was 14 and graduated high school at 15. Now, at 16, I am in my second year at NOVA. I am here full time as a dual-admissions NOVA and George Mason ADVANCE student.

My parents are from Bangladesh and I was raised by my mom and grandmother. I was homeschooled until coming to NOVA, and I love learning mathematics and geometry here. In my free time, I currently serve as the project director and manage social media and donations for the Hatchhope Yawarith Foundation.

What brought you to NOVA?
My entire family are NOVA people. My grandmother went here, my mother went here, soon followed by my cousins. Now I am proudly here. My grandmother went here in the 90s to learn about computers, and she is currently back taking Arabic courses. My mother, who is now a doctor, started out getting her associates from NOVA.

What are you studying or do you plan to study at NOVA?
I was originally studying science with a mathematics focus. After my first year here, I decided to add on an engineering part.

Where do you see yourself after NOVA and Mason or what career pursuits are you exploring?
I am planning on applying for more internships. For my career trajectory, I want to become a mathematics professor. Since NOVA has introduced me to engineering, I am exploring that as well.

What would you tell a student coming to NOVA?
The beauty of the professors here at NOVA is that no matter what specialty you want to focus on, a lot of professors give you broad knowledge on everything. I would tell a student to be willing to explore what NOVA has to offer. I would further say to someone interested in NOVA to take classes you love, even though it may not be something you pursue. For instance, right now, I am taking a literature of science fiction class because I love it.

Tell Us About Your Experience at NOVA; i.e., professors you’ve liked and friends you’ve met.
In regard to professors at NOVA, I have found a lot who have been super compassionate towards me, which is super encouraging. A lot of them go the extra mile.

When I was in tenth grade, I moved from regular homeschool to K-12, and the transition into NOVA was far smoother than high school. I had freedom to choose my own classes, and I felt like I was really being treated like an adult.

The best ways that I found to find friends is to find study groups with common interests. When I first came to NOVA, I enrolled in four different groups. I met so many people. So far it has been great for me.