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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Jan. 3, 2023) — Senior Miranda Millington knows her Milligan education will launch her to great heights—perhaps into space. This past summer, she secured an internship at National Aerospace Solutions.
A defense contractor with the U.S. Air Force, National Aerospace Solutions serves as a base site for testing new Air Force technology.
Through her internship, Millington connected her computer science and mathematics majors to real world applications.
“My internship allowed me to work on a variety of assignments, including my first software design experience outside of the classroom,” says Millington. “It also provided me with first-hand experience
collaborating with engineers throughout the company.”
Her primary project involved software design updates for the facility’s modeling simulations because the previous application had become obsolete. She also worked on making access databases for different groups working on inventory tracking, as well as coding for different facilities on the base.
Millington also had an opportunity to meet Joe Edwards, a former NASA astronaut and currently a technical director at National Aerospace Solutions. Edwards attended the presentations Millington and other interns presented at the end of their internships.
“Overall, my internship was a fun experience combined with a lot of personal growth,” she shares. “I learned what the expectations are in the workplace, how to balance full-time work with my personal life, and what it looks like to be innovative and do my best.”
Millington’s internship provided a glimpse into the next stage in life, but it also led her to reflect on her time at Milligan.
As a native of Hartland, Michigan, Millington knew she wanted to attend a university in Tennessee after vacationing in Gatlinburg as a kid. Milligan quickly rose to the top of her list as it met her criteria—a small, Christian university with softball and strong STEM academic programs. After touring campus, Millington knew she found her home.
Even while completing a double major, Millington has been able to be highly involved on campus the past four years. She competes on the softball team, serves on SGA, works as a campus tour guide, and participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Champions of Character program.
“I am so grateful for my Milligan experience,” says Millington. “I’ve been able to be involved in a lot on campus and make memories that would not have been possible at other universities.”
Millington plans to make the most of her last year on campus, and she hopes to remain in Tennessee next year as she applies for jobs in data analytics or software programming.
Printed in the Fall 2022 issue of Milligan Magazine.