Former Clark Magnet Student Lands Aerospace Job at Space Station

Gabrielle Scott credits high school engineering program for her success in the industry.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:00pm

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Gabrielle Scott, a former engineering and robotics student at Clark Magnet High School, was recently named a Brooke Owens Fellow, a prestigious program that recognizes women and gender minorities pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace. Scott, who is now working as a full-time design engineer on a commercial space station in Long Beach, credits Clark's state-of-the-art engineering program for giving her a 'big leg up' in college and her career.

Why it matters

Scott's story highlights the importance of strong STEM education programs at the high school level, especially in encouraging young women and gender minorities to pursue careers in the male-dominated fields of aerospace and engineering. Her success also demonstrates how hands-on experience and mentorship can help propel students towards their goals.

The details

At Clark Magnet, Scott learned skills like computer-aided design, part fabrication, and working with complex mechanisms - knowledge she was able to apply immediately at the University of California, San Diego, where she conducted research in medical device design and worked as an engineering assistant. Scott also founded a program called 'Make-Her-Space' to teach undergraduate women hands-on manufacturing skills. After internships at aerospace companies, Scott now works as a design engineer on the structures team of a commercial space station in Long Beach.

  • Gabrielle Scott graduated from Clark Magnet High School in 2020.
  • She recently graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in mechanical engineering.
  • Scott was named a 2026 Brooke Owens Fellow in April 2026.
  • She began working as a full-time design engineer at the Long Beach space station in 2024.

The players

Gabrielle Scott

A former engineering and robotics student at Clark Magnet High School who is now working as a design engineer on a commercial space station in Long Beach.

Clark Magnet High School

A high school in Glendale, California with a strong engineering-focused curriculum that helped prepare Gabrielle Scott for her career in aerospace.

Brooke Owens Fellowship

A nationally acclaimed nonprofit program that recognizes women and gender minorities pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace.

UC San Diego

The university where Gabrielle Scott majored in mechanical engineering and conducted research in medical device design.

VAST

An American aerospace company headquartered in Long Beach where Gabrielle Scott interned and now works as a full-time design engineer.

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What they’re saying

“I was like, 'OK, robots are really cool. I think I want to do robots,' and I just so happened to hear about Clark's program. I didn't realize it at the time, but I would say that Clark's engineering program is pretty state of the art. There's machines there that lots of companies don't even have, and I learned a ton of things as a teenager that lots of people are learning as they come out of college.”

— Gabrielle Scott, Former Clark Magnet High School Student

“When I started working at the Makerspace, we noticed we had statistics on who was coming in, and we saw that it was like 80% male students. So, my best friend and my roommate, we came up with the pun first, and then we were like, 'Oh, this would actually be a really good program.'”

— Gabrielle Scott, Former Clark Magnet High School Student

What’s next

Scott will be paired with executive and alumni mentors through the Brooke Owens Fellowship, and will attend the program's annual summit this summer to tour aerospace companies, attend workshops, and connect with other talented young women in the industry.

The takeaway

Gabrielle Scott's journey from a high school engineering program to a coveted role on a commercial space station demonstrates the power of hands-on STEM education and mentorship in helping women and gender minorities break into the male-dominated aerospace field.