Scholarships, guidance and a previous internship help land Tristan an out-of-this-world opportunity with SpaceX in Cape Canaveral
Name: Tristan Guillaume
Hometown: Boynton Beach, Florida
High School: Park Vista Community High School
University: University of Florida
Major: Industrial and Systems Engineering
Scholarships:
If you told Tristan Guillaume that one day he would have the opportunity to intern with SpaceX, chances are he would have laughed it off in disbelief. But if you knew him, you would also realize that for him and his family, anything is possible.
Tristan, who turns 21 this November, immigrated to the United States from Haiti with his mother, father and three older sisters 19 years ago. Since then, the close-knit family has been “the inheritors of the American dream,” he said.
Tristan’s mother, who holds two master’s degrees, and his sisters have all graduated from universities. As a result, however, “there wasn’t much saving for me to go to college,” he explained. Luckily, the two Community Foundation scholarships Tristan was awarded were critical in helping open the doors to pursuing his college education.
Now a University of Florida industrial and systems engineering student, Tristan said the scholarships have allowed him to focus on his classes without the fear of dropping out due to lack of financial assistance.
But that wasn’t the only barrier Tristan had to overcome. He also faced the challenges of being the first engineering student in his family, which made it difficult for him to make connections in the workforce and understand the applications and intricacies of engineering worldwide. Against the odds, he kept moving forward, learning and persevering.
Despite all of his optimism, dedication and determination, nothing could have prepared Tristan for what happened next. His mentors from a previous internship reached out this summer to share information about the SpaceX program and encouraged him to apply. In August he learned that he had been accepted into the 12-week fall 2024 program, which launched in September.
“I’m joining the Spacecraft Integration – Dragon team in Cape Canaveral, Florida, where I’ll have the incredible opportunity to contribute to the cutting-edge work being done on spacecraft that are pushing the boundaries of space exploration,” said Tristan. “I’m looking forward to gaining hands-on experience, learning from some of the best in the industry, and contributing to missions that are shaping the future of space travel.”
The Dragon spacecraft was the first private spacecraft in history to visit the space station in May 2012. It is capable of carrying up to seven passengers to and from Earth’s orbit and beyond and is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth. It’s also the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.
As he embarks on this new journey with SpaceX, Tristan reflects on his immense gratitude to the Community Foundation for its support.
“I believe it is an incredible act of kindness to help progress someone else’s dream, and that is what the Community Foundation does in my mind,” he said.
As for his plans, Tristan said he’s not sure what the future holds for him, but he hopes a successful SpaceX internship experience could lead to an opportunity to work there after he graduates in December 2026.
“Life is full of surprises and I’m here for the ride,” he said.
