• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2026

• University of Michigan, Aerospace Engineering, ‘28

• Host Institution: Amazon LEO

My name is Mirion Bell, and I am a first-generation student from Chicago. I am a second-year student attending the University of Michigan, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.

In high school, I started in FIRST Robotics competitions, served as president of the National Society of Black Engineers Jr. chapter, and served on the executive board of our women in STEM org. I gained a love for not only engineering but also a passion for advocating for minority representation in the STEM field.

This has carried on into my university years, where I now incorporate my love for engineering with my curiosity for space exploration. I’m an active member of the student organization Black Student in Aerospace, where I served as facilitator for our CubeSat Development Program. I help students grow their engineering experience and skills with their independent CubeSat project using the skills I learned when I first started. I also continue to develop my own CubeSat structure and incorporate mission operations through a directed study under a professor.

Along with that is my inclusive culture work; I work as a Diversity Peer Educator in a residential building. With this job, I mitigate situations, communicate with residents, and organize programs that allow for a sense of belonging and an inclusive community. I love seeing people being comfortable in their community, and the events we host serve a purpose to push for a sense of belonging, representation, and community.

Outside of academics, I love arts and crafts, drawing and sketching, and anime and manga/manhwa.

Overall, I love space, space exploration, rockets, satellites, rovers, etc. I hope to advance the engineering world, not only with my engineering skills, but with my background, showing other kids who look like me and come from my background that they can achieve great goals too.