By Lookout Staff

July 24, 2026 -- Five Santa Monica College (SMC) students have been selected to receive the highly competitive Space Camp Scholarship awarded by the Proctor Foundation for Art and Science.

Selected via a national application process were Nafiseh Pirmoradi, Angel Gonzalez-Villeda, Stephanie Hernandez Hernandez, Julissan Gonzalez and Aria Hightower.

The SMC students competed with applicants representing community colleges across the U.S. for the all-expenses-paid scholarship that recognizes students demonstrating strong potential in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), college officials said.

The scholarship -- which covers travel, lodging, meals, and educational programming -- also recognizes a "commitment to advancing innovation, creativity, and inclusive participation in space-related careers."

Recipients of the annual scholarship get a chance to attend Space Camp, "an immersive, hands-on experience focused on scientific exploration and teamwork," Proctor Foundation officials said.

This year's Space Camp experience took place July 10 to 12 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where participants "engaged in simulations, team-based missions, and training designed to mirror real-world aerospace challenges."

“(W)e believe access to transformative experiences like Space Camp can ignite curiosity, build confidence, and open pathways into careers in space and STEAM," said Dr. Sian Proctor, Founder of the Proctor Foundation for Art and Science.

"Our scholarship recipients represent the future of an inclusive and innovative space community,” Proctor said.

For SMC student Nafiseh Pirmoradi, “the absolute highlight" was "stepping into the role of a pilot during our simulations, an experience that felt like a distant dream turned into reality.”.

For Aria Hightower, a Black freshman who was formerly a homeschooled student, the Space Camp "single-handedly contributed to my fascination with biology, while introducing me to space."

Stephanie Hernandez Hernandez said her experience at Space Camp gave her “an added confidence that it’s okay to fail, but to keep pushing forward no matter what.”

For Julissan Gonzalez, her "favorite part of Space Camp was meeting people from different backgrounds and learning what inspired them to join.”

Meanwhile, Angel Gonzalez-Villeda said the camp helped “change the perspective of a student growing up in South LA" and reinforced "the importance of mentorship and scholarships for students from underrepresented communities.”

SMC offers options for study in numerous STEM fields including biology, pre-medicine biology, chemistry, earth science, computer programming, physics, engineering, mathematics. To learn more, visit smc.edu/STEM.