How Internships Helped Justin Charles Get Ready for Takeoff

When Justin Charles '26 dedicated himself to earning a college degree, he didn't just move through his classes. Experiential learning opportunities helped him take his education to new heights.

While earning his bachelor 's degree in cybersecurity at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), he was also applying what he learned in class through internships with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration — better known as NASA.

But what sparked this full-fledged commitment to learning? Charles can point to one day that changed everything.

A New Mission Was Born

At the end of 2022, Charles learned his girlfriend was pregnant. He said he was speechless — and felt a “million emotions” when he learned he was going to be a father.

In the swirl of thoughts and emotions, he said one thing became clear: He needed to go back to school so he could establish himself in a career.

“I feel like the greatest things in life come unexpectedly,” he said. “From that moment on, I just dedicated myself to getting my degree and pushing forward to be the best person I can be.”

It wasn 't just about being able to provide for his growing family. He said he wanted to be a guiding light for his child.

“Just having somebody look up to me that really doesn't know what's going on with their life yet — it's just a weight on my shoulders that I'm willing to bear,” he said about his daughter, who is now a toddler.

The question of where he 'd go to school and what he 'd study came next.

Space to Learn, Fueled By Passion

Working as a Disney cast member in Orlando, Florida, Charles had college tuition benefits available to him. He had heard of SNHU and decided to do some research into the online curriculum, and determined that the flexibility of the online programs would be beneficial.

“I decided to take a shot with SNHU, and it's been great ever since,” he said. Just two months after learning his daughter was on her way, he was enrolled at SNHU.

When it came to choosing what to study, he was between a few programs: computer science, cybersecurity and marketing. He said his academic advisor, Jennifer Zannoni, helped him navigate his interests and what area of study most aligned with them.

"I'm very passionate about technology,” Charles said. “Just seeing how fast it's evolving and how much is being used in everyday life is very fascinating to me.”

So, he ultimately chose to major in cybersecurity and complete some coursework in computer science, too.

It wasn 't always easy. When Charles first started the program, he didn 't have any background in computer programming, and he said he wasn 't the best at math, either.

“But since I was so dedicated to getting my degree and being better for my family, I just said, ‘What's the worst that could happen? ' So, I just went all in,” he said. “I actually used the tutoring services that SNHU offers just to have some extra guidance and help.”

His advisor kept in touch with him throughout his program, too, checking in and offering support. “Just knowing that she's got my back from so many miles away just means so much to me,” Charles said.

He noted that he 's gained a lot of knowledge throughout his time at SNHU. It wasn 't always easy to balance the coursework with his other obligations, but he said he had a great support system that helped him along the way. He also used a whiteboard to map out his goals and responsibilities for each day, to keep him focused.

“The courses that SNHU has to offer really does help out a lot,” he said. "It's not easy. A lot of people might think online work is easy, but it's really not. You have to put in time and effort. And I feel like I got in what I put out.”

Charting a Course With Experiential Learning

Just taking classes wasn 't enough for Charles. He noted that entry-level jobs often require some sort of experience, so he said he decided to pursue an internship to better his odds of landing a job after graduation.

So, he started using LinkedIn to show his passion, curiosity and desire to grow. He said it was NASA who ultimately gave him a chance, and he began an internship at the Kennedy Space Center.

“Seeing rockets launch twice a week from about 100 yards away is magnificent,” Charles said. “It never gets old. I still feel in my rib cage every time when they leave the atmosphere.”

His first internship was spent doing risk assessments and security auditing. Before long, he had completed two more internships related to launch control systems: one in software engineering focused on coding and scripting and one in software development, doing front-end development work.

Charles said he faced a lot of imposter syndrome early on, both in his schoolwork and his internship. But he found mentors who helped him build confidence, and he was able to draw on what he was learning at SNHU.

“Every single course that I took pertaining to computer science and cybersecurity really helped me out with my internship the whole time,” he said. He noted that getting involved as a college student also helped give him direction when considering career goals.

The experience of navigating school, work and an internship at the same time also helped Charles learn how to balance priorities and workloads — a skill he said will be helpful in the long run.

“I'm just glad for the opportunity that (NASA) gave me, and I'm glad for the opportunity that SNHU gave me for continuing my education,” he said.

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing at SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.