The fellowship offers future engineers an internship at a top aerospace company and personalized mentorship.
Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering students Trinity Hinton and Nia Thompson have been selected as Patti Grace Smith (PGS) Fellows. They are among 23 talented undergraduates from across the nation selected. The highly competitive fellowship includes a paid summer internship at a leading aerospace company, personalized mentorship, and a network of fellow professionals pursuing aerospace careers.
The program is named after the late trailblazer Patti Grace Smith, who led the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation for 11 years in the early stages of the commercial space era. It was a pivotal period in the commercial space industry’s growth. She oversaw the licensing of the first inland spaceport, the first private human spaceflight, and the first launches of SpaceX’s Falcon 1 rocket.
Trinity Hinton
Hinton will complete her summer internship with TrustPoint, Inc.,GPS company based in Herndon, Virginia. As an engineering intern, she will have opportunities to contribute to hands‑on projects with satellites, collaborating with experts in the field.
“I’m looking forward to getting real engineering experience. You can only learn so much in a classroom.”
The second-year aerospace student is from Fairburn, Georgia and grew up just minutes from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It shaped her early fascination with flight.
“Every day on the way to school, there would be an airplane flying right above my car,” she recalled. “Seeing aircraft that close, constantly, really stuck with me.”
That early exposure, combined with an Aviation Pathway Program from her high school, created a passion for aerospace engineering. When it came time to choose a college, Hinton said Georgia Tech had always been the goal.
“Growing up, all I heard was good things about Tech,” she said. “My family would say, ‘It’s an engineering school. It’s the place to be.’ I decided early on that I was going to get in—and I did.”
Trinity Hinton
Although her first semester on campus felt intense, Hinton said she quickly found support and opportunity through Georgia Tech’s aerospace community and getting involved in AeroAfroAstro (AAA), a student organization that connects and supports Black aerospace students at Georgia Tech.
“AAA is so diverse, and there are clubs and organizations at Tech for everyone,” she said. “Everyone is willing to help. The community here has really helped me grow.”
She hasn’t settled on one area of study within aerospace, but right now she is drawn to safety, sustainability, and societal impact within aerospace engineering.
“I’m interested in designing systems that are reliable, efficient, and responsible,” she said.
Hinton learned about the PGS Fellowship through AAA and received encouragement from past PGS fellows Lauren Leitch and Khalil Harruna, who motivated her to apply.
Hinton also credits her former academic advisor, Chirag Patel for guiding her through the PGS application process.
For her, being selected carries deep personal meaning.
“This accomplishment means a chance to build a long‑lasting career in aerospace,” she said. “It’s recognition not just for my academic work, but for my determination. As a Black woman in aerospace, this is a big step for me and my family.”
Hinton hopes her story encourages other young students—especially those who may not see themselves represented in aerospace—to pursue their ambitions.
“I’m experiencing things no one else in my family has experienced,” she said. “I’m doing bigger things, and I hope others can do the same.”
Nia Thompson
Thompson, a Fayetteville, Georgia native, will spend her summer at Leo Labs, a satellite company in Chantilly, Virginia. The internship will focus on the legal aspects of space policy.
“This internship proves that I’m worthy of taking up space in the aerospace industry, and it's motivation to continue to thrive in this space.”
She heard about the fellowship from past AAA board members. She credits Chris Lundy, AE academic advisor, and Hans Klein, associate professor and director of Undergraduate Studies in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts for their help with her application.
Thompson became interested in aerospace in fifth grade when she watched the movie “Hidden Figures.” After that, she participated in NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, during middle school, where she was able to fly simulators and?. In high school, she, like Hinton, participated in her school’s Aviation Pathway Program. It didn’t hurt that she really likes math and physics.
“Once I finally got to my junior year of high school, I started to do my research. I saw how Georgia Tech was home to an innovative spirit and culture that I wanted to be a part of. I just wanted to be part of the next generation of leaders in engineering. It ranked high for aerospace engineering and it's close to home, so it made sense,” Thompson shared.
Nia Thompson
While at Tech, Thompson has been busy. She is the co-president of AAA and is exploring her passion for space policy by conducting research in the Engineering Space Policy Lab.
“My research focuses on equitability in the geostationary belt. I’m reviewing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) radio regulations and their current allotment plan, which has several gaps, to understand how it can better address growing space congestion,” Thompson said.
In addition, she has interned for Lockheed Martin for the past two summers. The first was in Orlando, Florida, where she did configuration management for the F35 Alice system. The second summer was in Fort Worth, Texas where she did system integration tests for the avionics system on F16 and FA50s.
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