An official with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is giving Iowa college students a pep talk to continue their educations. Julian Earles is deputy director of NASA’s John Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He says kids need to believe in themselves and their abilities.Earles is addressing undergraduate students gathered for a workshop at the University of Northern Iowa. He says education is the key to opening many doors.Many students don’t go beyond getting a B-A degree as they are eager to start their careers and pay off college loans. Earles says a graduate degree might mean a bigger temporary debt — and bigger rewards too.Earles is addressing Iowa members of the Ronald McNair Scholars, a federally-funded program, which targets students who are traditionally under-represented in graduate-level education. McNair was a black astronaut who died in the 1996 explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.
