Pathways to Success

"When I look through a telescope, I am inspired. It moves me deeply. It is the thing that sparks my imagination and my soul."

These are the words of Donovan Haxton, Jr., this year's keynote speaker during the Pathways to Success student leadership luncheon. A 1961 graduate of Mason City Junior College, Haxton is a Senior Research Specialist for the Hubble Space Telescope Operations Control Center at Goddard Space Flight Center and an adjunct professor in astronomy at Howard Community College in Maryland.

Unlike many people, Haxton knew what he wanted to be at a very early age. "I dreamed of going to Mars as a young boy and knew since the third grade that I wanted to be an astronomer," he said.

During his presentation to the 30 NIACC student leaders and other guests, Haxton shared photographs taken by the Hubble telescope - which he worked on during its second mission - of some of the things that inspire him, including Mars, Jupiter, start nurseries and nebulas.

"I know what my guiding light is," he said. "If you have something inside you, something that sparks your soul, the thing you lie awake and dream about doing, I want to encourage you to pursue it. We all have something that sparks us -- as students, maybe it's Shakespeare, Mozart, differential equations, or a biology project, but it is something. Follow your dream."

1998 Pathways to Success Student Leaders:

Amanda Anderson

LeAnn Beck

Steve Carney

Jennifer Craighton

Clint Dredge

Derek Emerson

Neil Francois

Melanie Freeman

Melissa Hanna

Myrt Hanson

Lee Heying

Heather Johlas

Tammy Kallenbach

Jennifer Kammeyer

Shannon Kock

Andrea Lee

Molly Mueller

Elizabeth Nannenga

Echo Ochoa

Brandy Ohden

Mike Otto

Kristie Pfab

Abby Ringus

Kelly Rustad

Justin South

Kevin Stenzel

Linda Tweeten

Patrick Walter

Kelly Yelland

Angela Zimmerman

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