When Wade Solomon arrived at FAMU from Miami Gardens, he was looking for something larger than an engineering education. He wanted the experience of attending a historically Black university, surrounded by a community that reflected his identity and ambitions.
Three years later, that decision has carried him to the forefront of America's next chapter in space exploration.
Solomon, a rising senior electrical engineering major at FAMU, has been selected for NASA's prestigious Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) NextGEN Internship Program, earning a summer placement with Blue Origin in Renton, Washington. The internship, one of the nation's most competitive undergraduate aerospace opportunities, places students alongside engineers helping develop technologies that will support NASA's return to the Moon through its Artemis-era commercial partnerships.
Chosen from more than 900 applicants nationwide, Solomon is spending the summer contributing to projects tied to NASA's future lunar missions while learning from engineers working at the cutting edge of aerospace innovation.
Soloman's selection represents more than an individual accomplishment. It underscores the growing role FAMU continues to play in producing talent for some of the country's most advanced scientific and engineering enterprises.
"This internship is more than an achievement," said William E. Hudson Jr., Ph.D., the university's vice president for Student Affairs. "It's a reminder that dedication and opportunity can take you beyond the stars."
Solomon traces his journey back to a simple decision made before he ever stepped onto campus.
"I wanted to stay at an HBCU, be with my people, connect from there and experience what an HBCU would be like," he said.
That decision quickly immersed him in an ecosystem designed to nurture aspiring engineers. As a freshman, Solomon joined the Engineering Living Learning Community, where students lived together while navigating one of the university's most rigorous academic programs.
The experience extended beyond academics.
"It was a very good networking opportunity to meet friends and get connected with everybody in the field," Solomon said. "Those engineers I still talk to this day in classes, and they help me out with anything."
Those relationships became the foundation for opportunities that followed.
Nearly two years ago, Solomon enrolled in Caldwell's Engineering Student Access program, an initiative designed to help students develop the technical and professional skills needed to succeed in engineering careers.
"He was one of my quieter students, but he always desired to excel in engineering," Caldwell said. "Through perseverance and commitment to learning, Wade transformed himself into a promising young engineer prepared to take on new challenges."
When Hudson later sought recommendations for NASA's CLPS NextGEN internship, Caldwell immediately thought of Solomon.
"His previous work on a NASA-supported project aligned with NASA's vision for sustainable transportation technology," she said.
That recommendation proved pivotal.
Before arriving at Blue Origin, Solomon had already accumulated meaningful research experience through Caldwell's Educating Engineering Students Innovatively (EESI) program.
Working alongside engineering faculty members Dr. Peter Cheetham and Dr. Lance Cooley, Solomon contributed to NASA's Integrated Zero-Emission Aviation project through a NASA University Leadership Initiative grant. During the six-month project, he conducted experiments evaluating busbar designs for electrical resistance, gaining experience in engineering research, laboratory testing and collaborative problem-solving.
"Being in the EESI program gave me a lot more professional experience in how to adapt to a real-world environment," Solomon said.
For Caldwell, Solomon's trajectory reflects the program's broader mission.
"EESI students do not simply graduate with engineering degrees," she said. "They develop the professional skills, technical competencies and practical experience that today's employers seek."
Now working inside one of the nation's leading commercial space companies, Solomon hopes to understand not only how spacecraft are built, but how engineers approach innovation itself.
"I want to know the thought process behind being a NASA employee and the thinking behind each of their inventions and innovations," he said.
He believes the experience will distinguish him as he enters an increasingly competitive engineering workforce.
"Having this on my resume is obviously going to put me more in the spotlight compared to other engineers because getting a NASA internship isn't easy," Solomon said. "Being here allows me to learn through hands-on experiences with some of the most intellectual minds in the industry and see what electrical engineering is like in a real-world atmosphere."
His career ambitions are evolving as well.
Although Solomon initially envisioned working in electrical power systems and infrastructure, exposure to aerospace engineering has broadened his horizons.
"Working closely with aerospace through this internship might end up changing my career path for the future," he said.
As his internship continues through August, university leaders view Solomon's success as evidence of what can happen when preparation, mentorship and opportunity converge.
For Solomon, however, the experience represents something more personal. It validates the choice he made three years ago to attend FAMU that has nurtured both his identity and his aspirations.
That journey has taken him from classrooms in Tallahassee to one of the companies helping shape America's return to the Moon. It is a stark reminder that for students willing to pursue ambitious goals, the path from FAMU can extend far beyond Earth's atmosphere.