Astronaut WCC alum returns to alma mater as TEDxWCC featured speaker

If there’s one thing that Blue Origin astronaut, former NASA rocket scientist, STEM entrepreneur, and Washtenaw Community College (WCC) alum Aisha Bowe wishes people would ask her, it would be the “why?” behind her bio. 

“Everything that I do has a why, and far too often people [are] like, ‘Oh, this bio is great,'” Bowe says. “And, I’m like, ‘Yeah, but why?'”

Approximately a year after returning from space, Bowe returned to the WCC campus on April 9 as the featured speaker at the college’s TEDxWCC event. Bowe attended WCC from 2003 to 2005 before transferring to the University of Michigan, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering. She made history last April when she traveled to space as part of an all-female Blue Origin crew that included recording artist Katy Perry and journalist Gayle King. 

“The why, for me, is creating things that are direct response to things I felt that I didn’t have growing up. One of the things that got me through WCC was a Morse Barker scholarship,” she says. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘Okay, we need more funding. We need to create pathways for people to go from WCC to four-year degrees.'”

Bowe, who discovered her passion for math in a WCC pre-algebra class, is currently a globally sought-after speaker and STEM education advocate. 

“I need to create companies and be successful so that more women and people know that they can run businesses, even if they’ve never met anybody who has done it before,” she said at a reception honoring her before the TEDxWCC event.

Bowe was moved to tears after receiving tokens of appreciation, which included formal academic recognition from WCC, a letter from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and a certificate of congratulations from U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin. In return, Bowe gave the college a WCC shirt that she took into space with her last year.

“I went to space and I didn’t even cry. But looking at all of you that have been such an important part of my journey, it’s hard not to feel the overwhelm,” Bowe said. “It’s a joy to be able to go out into the world and talk about the world-class education that you receive here and let people know that this is the place where you can grow beautiful dreams.”

In the audience was Bowe’s cousin, Latasha Major, who attended with her children and niece. 

“I brought them here to be inspired. One thing that I admire is that Aisha follows her dreams,” she says. “We’re a family of go-getters. I remember a conversation in New York. Aisha asked what else I wanted to do with my life. I told her, and she grabbed me by both arms and said, ‘Latasha, I believe you can do even more!'”

Bowe said her advice to people – whether it’s family, friends, or girls looking to pursue STEM careers – is “don’t tell people your dreams. Show them.” 

“When I decided to go to Michigan, I remember going to an admissions counselor there and he said, ‘Well, you’re a transfer student,'” she recalled. “When I decided to apply for a job at NASA, they’re like, ‘Oh, you know, we’re not sure,’ but I ended up working there for seven years. That’s distinguished, and I’ve had a phenomenal aerospace career.”

She adds: “Every single time, somebody has laughed at or doubted my dream, which is why I’m talking about it today. I stood 10 toes down, and I and the world are better for it.”