News Podcast
You never give up Sandra Cauffman NASA
Posted On : Aug 19, 2017
“Never give up! Nunca se de por vencida!”
Sandra Cauffman is NASA’s Earth Science Deputy Director; she is one of the top among the 16000 employees at NASA.
Sandra Cauffman was born to a single mother in Costa Rica and began her life living in abject poverty. Her biological father abandoned the family early in her childhood. Cauffman’s stepfather was abusive emotionally and physically. He beat the children and frequently teased them by throwing food on the ground for them to eat while he ate from a plate. On other occasions, the stepfather ate in front of the hungry children. Eventually, her mother remarried an American citizen years later, and the new stepfather became a bridge for the family to go to the US where they found more opportunities.
As Cauffman was setting her eyes on higher education, she knew what she faced financially, but her strong character and willpower prepare her to take the risks and persevere. In the US there are very few scholarships for undergraduate students, so she had to work day and night in a hardware store to cover the costs of her studies. Director Cauffman always aimed high and never gave up on her dream to work at NASA. After successfully graduating with a double major in physics and electrical engineering, she went to a job fair and was hired by a NASA contractor. The rest is history. In the last thirty years, she has methodically worked through the ranks of the agency and has become one of its more powerful leaders.
With a story that she borrows from her wise mother, Director Cauffman explains how she was able to focus on the future, being authentic and embracing her past without shame: “In life one encounters nuggets along the way. You trip on them, and sometimes get hurt. Some people choose to pick up these nuggets and carry them in their backpack. Others, while they remember the nuggets, choose to move on and leave them behind.”
Learn about Director Cauffaman’s advice to get a job with NASA and much more.
Hit the “Play” button above, listen to my conversation with Director Cauffman and receive strength and wisdom from her story. And, don’t be timid, leave your comments at the bottom. Write to me; I want to know your story. You can log in with your Facebook or Twitter accounts or create an account on this site.
Produced by Felipe Gonzalez in Costa Rica and Carlos Garcia in Riverside California. Text edited by Sharon Hamrick de Marin.
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With a similar background, this audio came at a time i had to make the decision of either staying in my country to take up the job offers i was being given or to keep the PhD in USA dream alive by getting back to books and giving GRE full concentration.
it was inspiration and i believe their many more who love to hear such walks from people with shared backgrounds like Mrs Sandra Cauffman
Thank you a bunch