When Eric Schaub graduated from CU Boulder with a BS in Aerospace Engineering last summer, he did so with much acclaim. His senior project – a collaboration between Schaub, four fellow Aerospace Engineering students and Ball Aerospace – was chosen as the most outstanding among the prestigious school’s impressive slate of Senior Capstone Projects. He made the Dean’s List his senior year.
Academic excellence in the hard sciences wasn’t always in the cards for Schaub, however. As a high school student in Glenwood Springs, he didn’t perceive himself as having the necessary math and science skills to pursue a career in engineering. Unsure of his direction, he decided to start college nearby and enrolled at Colorado Mountain College. His time there changed his perception of his academic abilities and aptitude, and he ended up earning an Associate of Science degree in Chemistry from CMC in 2008.
“My time at CMC really showed me that I can accomplish lots of things. I learned that my math skills were actually decent – and I wasn’t aware of this before,” says Schaub. “CMC allowed me to take smaller jumps from high school to college. The teachers and class sizes made for a great learning environment, and I was able to develop my learning skills and explore more math and science in a way I had not done before.”
“In high school,” Schaub continues, “I hadn’t been motivated to go further with my education. But at CMC, the teachers really inspired me to follow my interest in engineering. I ended up doing well at CU Boulder’s School of Engineering. And I credit this to Colorado Mountain College.”
Hopeful for a bright future
Schaub returned to his hometown after graduation, and is now seeking to put his degree to work by pursuing his dream career. “My dream would be to work for NASA, and be in the Space Program – I started out wanting to be an astronaut, “ says Schaub. “I’ve come to realize there’s not a huge likelihood of that– in the past, most of the astronauts have come from military backgrounds and have a lot of fighter jet experience. Things may be changing in the future with more commercial space opportunities. But I would love to work for a company who builds satellites, or Mars Rovers-Lockheed Martin or Ball Aerospace.”
Opportunity and the Richard C. Martin Grant
Because Schaub was a graduate of a high school within CMC’s district, he was eligible for the Richard C. Martin grant, which awards funds to CMC students once they complete a two-year degree at CMC and transfer to another four-year institution to help them pay for their remaining two years of education. Richard C. Martin grant funds are typically awarded in an amount equal to the tuition the student spent at CMC.
“CMC was a great opportunity for me because of its location near my home town. I wasn’t ready to commit to a four-year university, because I didn’t know what degree program I wanted to follow. When I got to CU I felt I was much more prepared for the higher-level education experience than I was right out of high school. I was more dedicated and focused and achieved more than I expected I ever could when I was in high school, “ says Schaub. “And, it was more affordable than a four-year institution. On top of that, I received the Richard C. Martin grant.”
Schaub supported his education through work at Snowmass while he was a student at CMC. Despite the challenge of juggling work and a heavy academic load, he remembers the experience fondly. “I was able to snowboard multiple days a week. And I definitely got lots of powder days in – while also attending school,” says Schaub. “It definitely worked out great.”
For more about the Richard C. Martin grant and other funding opportunities, visit coloradomtn.edu/scholarships and the Grants section of our financial aid pages at coloradomtn.edu/financial_aid.
Article and photo by Kate Lapides. Lapides is the Marketing Editor at Colorado Mountain College.