Internship Spotlight: Michael Morales, USSF Space Operations
Michael Morales '25 (Business Management) was an Advanced Satellite Tracking Intern at USSF Space Operations in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
What was the process for getting this internship, job, or summer experience:
Last year I joined a brand-new program called the Defense Civilian Training Corps, which sought to bring in students from 4 universities and teach them about the acquisition process of the Department of Defense, and eventually craft us into leaders to one day join the DOD and provide new ideas and innovation to that workforce. Essentially the program provides us with internship opportunities from a variety of different military branches and locations across the US, to eventually see where we could fit into the DOD. To join the program, you must be a rising junior planning to graduate in the spring of your expected traditional 4-year track (for me since I started my first semester of Eller in Fall 2023, the program required we all graduate Spring 2025.)
What did you find most challenging?
The hardest thing I faced during my internship was learning to adapt to a completely new environment. For some it may be the physical location of where they work, but for me I had to learn an entirely new set of skills unrelated to my education. The project required knowledge of astrodynamics and programming, skills I very clearly lacked since my education has been business oriented. I could have simply chosen to know the bare minimum, but I sought to include myself in whatever ways I could so that I could provide something to the project, and most importantly to my peers. I did my best to learn material that was provided to us, and even took upon myself the chance to learn new skills in modeling and 3D printing, something I don’t believe I ever could have done anywhere in Eller.
How did Eller prepare you for this experience?
Even though Eller is very clearly not meant to teach me astrodynamics, I still used some skills I developed during my internship. One key skill was working in a team environment. Eller has been molding me to working collaboratively with others, either in classes or extracurriculars like my clubs, and because of this I found that process easy to adapt with others. I think a very important one that some people might not think of is perseverance. Through my time at Eller, I’ve learned how to continuously push myself to embrace new things, even if the situation is challenging. Whether it was rushing to complete an assignment, planning ahead for events in my clubs, or managing my own work-life balance, the perseverance I developed from my time in the college allowed me to look past any insecurities I could have had working in a complicated field like the one I was in, and allowed me to work diligently alongside some of the most talented and hardworking people I have ever met.
What did you learn?
I think the biggest takeaway I had from the experience is that everyone can provide something of value. Regardless of where we are or what situations we’re facing, I truly believe now that everyone has some level of value, they can provide for whatever they are doing. Even though I didn’t have the skills of my peers, I had my own set that I could provide. I learned how to adapt, and how to put my own knowledge into the project. At the end of the day, I believe our project was a success, and it was because of the efforts of everyone in the project, including myself. It’s not to say that I believe I did more than my peers, but I can recognize that I had something of value to give, and I think that’s something everyone should remember wherever they are in their careers.