For Alayna Miller, space has been a calling. Support from passionate teachers and a childhood trip to Space Camp confirmed that she belonged among the stars.

Though she initially enrolled at Purdue to study physics for space applications, Alayna soon switched to engineering. It had the creative, collaborative environment she had been craving. “From that moment,” she says, “I knew I was home.” 

That home became a launchpad. Now a senior studying Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAE), Alayna believes AAE stands out for how quickly students are immersed in hands-on projects that mirror real industry work. “While many students seek internships to gain experience, Purdue builds it right into the classroom,” she explains.

In AAE 251, Introduction to Aerospace Design, she designed a Mars sample-retrieval mission that earned recognition from Northrop Grumman and opened doors to companies like Blue Origin. The project helped her realize she loved mission design — the planning, problem-solving, and systems thinking that define spacecraft engineering. Later, in AAE 418, Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment, she took that passion further, working with Professor (and soon-to-be astronaut) Stephen Collicott and teacher’s assistant Abigail Mizzi to design and integrate the control panel for the first-ever all-Boilermaker space flight, which will study propellant behavior in zero gravity. “It’s incredible to see your work written into history books,” Alayna says.

Her outreach and technical experience came together during her internship at Blue Origin in Kent, Washington, where she worked across both Club for the Future and the New Shepard Operations and Maintenance team.

Her outreach and technical experience came together during her internship at Blue Origin in Kent, Washington. There, she worked across both Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit inspiring K-12 students to pursue STEAM careers, and the New Shepard Operations and Maintenance team. She helped create standardized training procedures for spacecraft maintenance, developing materials that unified safety and technical training across teams. 

With Club for the Future, she found a creative way to connect engineering with imagination, developing global STEM lessons on topics like space debris, lunar missions, and even fashion in space. Her favorite project—a collaboration with UNIQLO—explored how sustainability and design intersect between Earth and orbit, showing how space-age technology has influenced everything from metallic fabrics to go-go boots, turning aerospace innovation into everyday style. (You can explore the lesson here.)

Alayna credits Purdue for preparing her to thrive in every environment. “The hands-on projects, leadership opportunities, and mentorship I’ve had here gave me the confidence to contribute to industry settings,” she says. 

To her, Purdue has been more than an education—it’s been a foundation for confidence, connection, and purpose. “Being a Boilermaker in Aeronautics and Astronautics has given me the career readiness, industry knowledge, and soft skills I need to be successful. There’s nothing more valuable than knowing your time here gives you both incredible memories and the preparation to be a leader in your field.” 

Walking through Armstrong Hall, surrounded by portraits of Purdue’s astronauts, she’s reminded daily of that legacy. “Aerospace is tough,” she says, “but seeing those who walked before me, I know the sky is not the limit.” 

From a space-obsessed kid in Westfield, Indiana to an engineer whose designs will soon fly aboard Purdue One, Alayna Miller proves that at Purdue AAE, dreams don’t just take flight—they find direction.