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Boone (NASA/MSFC)

Release: 01-372

Utah State University student Brandon Boone reaches for stars in NASA education program

Brandon E. Boone, a graduate student in corporate communications at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, is currently working in the U.S. space program as part of a NASA cooperative education program.

Boone, serving the first of two terms in the Media Relations Department at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., is working with NASA exhibits and with news media reporting on NASA.

During his first term Boone has spent time working on NASA's newest "space vehicle," Starship 2040. A national touring exhibit, Starship 2040 is designed to educate the public on what commercial spaceflight might be like four decades from now, in the year 2040.

Boone has also been involved in support for the Student Launch Initiative. The initiative is a Marshall Center education program designed to provide high school and university students with an exciting, hands-on learning experience in the areas of science, math, and engineering. "To be a part of one of our nation's most important endeavors, space exploration and travel, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I'm very excited about," Boone said. "I'm very thankful to have been afforded this opportunity to work in our nation's space agency and the cooperative education program."

NASA's cooperative education program combines a student's academic study with a paid career-related work experience. Students must be enrolled in the program at their respective schools and be referred to a NASA center by their school's cooperative education administrator.

Cooperative education provides students full-time positions directly related to their field of study, and better understanding of human relations. Participants alternate periods of study at their schools with periods of work at NASA centers.

Boone earned a bachelor's degree in public relations from Utah State University in 2001. While doing so he participated in track and field for USU, earning seven All-Big West honors in the long jump, 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meter relay.

A 1996 graduate of Redmond High School in Redmond, Wash., Boone was two-time state champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. He is the son of Gwyn Boone of Redmond and Charles Boone of Baltimore, Md.

The Marshall center is one of NASA's largest field centers, occupying over 1,800 acres and employing more than 2,700 civil servants. Some 25,000 contractor personnel are engaged in work for the Center, which has an annual budget of more than $2.2 billion. The center is carrying out the vision of being the world leader in space transportation systems, microgravity research and space optics manufacturing technology.