BGSU alums help lead NASA’s communications efforts for Artemis II mission

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - As Artemis II prepares to return to Earth after a historic moon flyby, two Bowling Green State University graduates are helping to lead NASA's communications efforts on the mission's progress.

Shauntina Lilly and Jacqueline Minerd, both public affairs officers based out of NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, have seen the inner workings of Artemis II by leading the public-facing communications effort for NASA Glenn, distilling the highly technical research behind the mission into digestible information that helps the general public connect with the wonders of space travel.

When it came time for the launch, Minerd, who was on site at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, said she cried tears of joy - a triumphant moment in which the Artemis II mission achieved a key goal.

"I've been able to see this mission progress, and it's like watching a child grow and go off to college," Minerd said. "When I watched Artemis II launch, first I was in awe, and once it was high in the sky, that's when it really hit me: there are four astronauts aboard. Experiencing it first-hand was incredibly inspiring."

Naturally, the public interest in Artemis II - from its launch to the day-to-day operations of the astronauts to its brilliant on-board photos - has been immense.

Lilly and Minerd have been at the center from the beginning, coordinating media interviews, providing the public with updates and information, shedding light on how the mission became a success and highlighting the people at NASA who make spaceflight a reality.

"To watch Artemis II launch after seeing so much of the behind-the-scenes work here at Glenn, it was really surreal," Lilly said. "For us, a big part of what we do - the core of our roles - is storytelling. It's been exciting for us to uncover so many stories at our center and highlight the people doing the prolific, intricate work that takes place behind our gate.

"A lot of the testing for this mission happened right here at NASA Glenn Research Center, so we've just been on cloud nine. The mantra that we use is that the road to the moon goes through Ohio."

Aside from the pride both Lilly and Minerd take in their work at NASA, the pair shares something else in common: their first steps toward fulfilling careers took place as BGSU undergraduates.

As students, both women found exactly what they wanted to do - Lilly with a degree in communications and Minerd in journalism with a specialization in broadcast - and prototyped their career options while still on campus.

Lilly, a Cleveland native, served on student government and earned the first taste of her current profession as the PR chair of the Black Student Union. Minerd, who hails from Eastlake, Ohio, wrote for the BG News, worked for BG24, served on the executive board of Alpha Chi Omega, studied abroad in Spain and did internships with two Toledo TV stations before graduating.

To this day, Lilly said she still remembers her "a-ha" moment in what is now called the Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections, where she ventured on a Saturday to better examine what she could do with her love for writing and an interest in science. One of the resources she came across indicated that public relations can be a great fit for strong communicators who enjoy the written word, after which Lilly settled on a path: communications with a specialization in scientific and technical communications.

"I wanted to be intentional about my career: it had to be something that I had passion for, that I was good at and would be sustainable," she said. "When I read about PR, I said, 'My gosh, this is right up my alley.' I did even more research and knew that was precisely what I would pursue."

In her current role, Minerd said she still applies many of the things she learned inside BGSU classrooms more than a decade ago.

Minerd credits her experience with BGSU faculty for helping her refine abilities that are pivotal to performing her job duties with NASA.

"There are so many skills that I learned in broadcast journalism at BGSU - writing in plain language, taking video, editing, interviewing experts and learning about one subject so well that you can tell a story in a single day," Minerd said. "It's a lot of work, but I found that I loved packaging a story while I was there. If you can write, you can do anything."

When moments like the voyage of the Orion spacecraft happen, both are prepared to meet the demands of their role, from a multitude of media requests each day to providing information that helps the public as it seeks to understand the mission's greater purpose.

With four astronauts in space, the world is once again watching the skies.

"For the first time in more than 50 years, humans are making the journey around the moon, and it's a mission the entire world can believe in," Minerd said. "There's a real sense of global energy around it. It's positive, inspiring, and people want to be part of this historic milestone."

Though both Lilly and Minerd have gone on to meaningful careers since graduating, both fondly remember their time at BGSU for providing the opportunity to develop skills that have stood the test of time.

"I go to BGSU every year for Homecoming, and I'm such a proud alumna," Lilly said. "My experience there was amazing, and I wouldn't change it for the world. There is truly no place like Bowling Green."