Meet a Roadrunner: Paul Hamilton turned his life around to become a NASA engineer

Meet a Roadrunner: Paul Hamilton turned his life around to become a NASA engineer

UTSA senior Paul Hamilton turned a major setback into an even bigger opportunity.


(Jan. 18, 2017) -- Meet Paul Hamilton. This exemplary engineering student is looking forward to a career with NASA.

Hamilton, who was born in San Antonio but grew up in Helotes, was never quite sure what kind of career he wanted to pursue. A dedicated athlete in high school, a disciplinary incident resulted in his expulsion as a senior, an experience that initially left him a little lost.

"I had some rough formative years," he said. "To be where I'm at now is just surreal."

One thing Hamilton has a wealth of, though, is dedication. He set out to finish his high school degree at an alternative school, which requires students to attend for at least four hours a day but allows them to learn at their own pace. Hamilton attended for 11 hours each day and finished the remainder of his degree in 30 days. That allowed him to graduate eight months ahead of his friends at his former high school.

Initially, Hamilton pursued a degree at Northwest Vista College. After discovering that engineering was a lucrative, exciting career and that UTSA had a top-tier College of Engineering, he made the decision to transfer in 2013.

"UTSA was an outstanding fit for me," he said. "I liked that it was a more tight-knit school and had such a strong sense of community."

He quickly became a part of that community, working in the Institute for P-20 Initiatives and as a tour guide to prospective students.

"Being a tour guide really bonded me with UTSA," Hamilton said. "I know at least a handful of people in every building on campus. Being a student here is just a very personal experience."

In the fall of 2014, Hamilton took time away from his classes to accept an internship at NASA. He worked on a variety of projects, including writing software for mission control that was used in the fall of 2014 flight of the Orion spacecraft, which later that year was launched into low Earth orbit. He also helped to improve the piloting systems on other spacecraft.

"The experience with NASA has been surreal, to put it succinctly," he said. "The things that they do are so cutting edge. It's incredible work, and here I am, some small-town kid thrown into the mix with the world's brightest minds. I feel like Charlie in the chocolate factory."

Hamilton returned to UTSA in 2015, but subsequently took three more semesters off to continue working with NASA. He's now set to graduate in May, and has accomplished his goal to leave college debt free, thanks in part to the Ed Whitacre Leadership Scholarship. The $10,000 merit-based scholarship, which is named for celebrated General Motors engineer Ed Whitacre, allowed Hamilton to pay off the remainder of his loans and focus on completing his studies.

"I was excited because I had already read Whitacre's book. When I heard the news, I wrote him a letter to thank him," he said. "UTSA really has been a great experience. I'm going to miss it, but I know life goes on."

Though Hamilton has received several lucrative offers, he's accepted a full-time job with NASA developing satellite communications systems in conjunction with several different government projects.

- Joanna Carver

-------------------------------

Do you know a Roadrunner who is achieving great things? Email us at social@utsa.edu so that we may consider your suggestion for our next installment of Meet a Roadrunner.

Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.




Events



Spotlight

UTSA Bold Promise CTA

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.