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Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô students, Jonah Watts and Ana Morfin, have accepted positions with Blue Origin, a leading aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. The company is focused on developing technologies for space tourism, lunar exploration, and future missions to Mars, with the goal of building a sustainable human presence in space.

Watts, a senior mechanical engineering major, described the moment he received the offer as "shocking and exciting."

"I had just wrapped up my four-hour final interview when I received a call 30 minutes later with a verbal offer," Watts said. "I was not expecting to hear back immediately, and I immediately called my family members to share the news. It felt amazing to finally get the job I’ve always dreamed of."

Morfin, also a senior mechanical engineering student, learned about her offer on New Year's Day.

"It truly feels like my hard work and dedication have finally paid off," Morfin said. "To be able to say that I will begin my career working on something that I am passionate about is a very surreal feeling. Receiving this news on that day was the best way to set the tone for my year."

Both students credited Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô for preparing them for success in the aerospace industry. Watts played a key role in re-establishing the university’s American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) chapter and founding the Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô Association of Rocketry (LUNAR) team.

"My experiences at Lamar are the sole reason that I was able to get this position," Watts said. "I highly recommend that the College of Engineering continue to fund these amazing projects to give students the opportunity to succeed."

Morfin echoed the sentiment, noting that her early decision to pursue aerospace led her to collaborate with professors and peers, helping her build the skills needed to stand out in the competitive field.

"I am proud to say that attending Lamar and starting the LUNAR club, along with being vice president of AIAA, helped me set myself up as a qualified candidate," Morfin said. "I was blessed to choose among several options and be able to work for my dream company."

Blue Origin, known for its reusable New Shepard rocket and lunar lander program, is playing a key role in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon. Watts and Morfin will begin their roles at the company in June following their graduation from Â鶹ӳ»­Ó°Òô.