Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications
Three Tuskegee University engineering seniors will graduate next year on their way to full-time positions with global aerospace and defense leader Northrop Grumman. The trio have leveraged summer internships for career-launching opportunities that showcase the power of preparation, perseverance, and mentorship – and the university's commitment to equip students to compete and win in a competitive global economy.
For aerospace engineering seniors Morgan Stuckey of Powder Springs, Georgia, and Janiah Rutledge of Birmingham, Alabama, along with electrical engineering senior Gavin Gatson of Birmingham, Alabama, the offers represent years of academic rigor, personal development, and many long nights grinding and growing as Tuskegee University students.
“Janiah, Morgan and Gavin represent the highest ideals of The Tuskegee Way and I am deeply proud of them,” said Dr. Mark A. Brown, president and CEO. “These outstanding students have done the hard work, persevered, supported one another and developed as well-rounded leaders. They will leave Mother Tuskegee next spring well on their way to careers of their choice. This accomplishment also reflects the dedication and unwavering support Tuskegee faculty and staff dedicate themselves to every day. This is the student outcome we are striving for in The Tuskegee Renaissance Era.”
Tuskegee knows the value of internships, exposure
The students can trace their Northrop Grumman journeys back to the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Conference, where they connected with recruiters and hiring managers who would ultimately open doors to internship opportunities.
Rutledge and Stuckey received internship offers after attending the conference in 2025. Both spent the summer of 2026 working in Northrop Grumman's Aeronautics Systems sector in California.
Rutledge worked as a flight test engineering intern at Edwards Air Force Base, where she distinguished herself by leading and executing a major testing effort despite operating on an understaffed team.
"My manager told me I was performing at the level of a Tier 2 engineer," Rutledge said. "That's someone who typically has a couple of years of experience. Hearing that was really rewarding."
Just days before her internship ended, Rutledge received the official call extending a full-time offer.
For Stuckey, the call came one day before her internship concluded.
"My manager told me that I excelled at all the tasks I was assigned," she said. "Getting a full-time offer is one of the biggest accomplishments of my life so far."
Gatson's path was longer. He first interviewed with Northrop Grumman as a freshman after attending BEYA but did not receive an internship offer. Instead of closing the door, company representatives encouraged him to stay connected through an HBCU-focused engagement program.
The persistence paid off.
He landed his first internship in Baltimore in 2025 and returned in 2026, supporting systems engineering efforts on the Navy's EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft and the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance platform. Following a successful second internship, Gatson earned a coveted position in Northrop Grumman's rotational Pathways Program.
"It felt unreal," Gatson said. "As a graduating senior, knowing I already have a job takes a huge weight off my shoulders."
Let’s Practice Now
While technical expertise helped the students excel, each cited building their interpersonal and communications skills as one of the most valuable assets gained from their Tuskegee education.
Rutledge said employers consistently praised her ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and leadership.
"At Tuskegee, we're constantly presenting, introducing ourselves, and speaking in front of groups," she said. "That prepared me to communicate with confidence in professional environments."
Stuckey pointed to the university's Tuskegee University Business and Engineering (TUBE) Conference, which brings engineering and business students together to solve challenges collaboratively.
"It taught me how to work with different groups of people and communicate across disciplines," she said.
For Gatson, those skills led him to introduce himself to senior executives and ultimately secure a one-on-one meeting with a vice president within Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector.
"Tuskegee taught me how to advocate for myself and not be afraid to ask," he said.
Every Path to Success is Different
Although all three students are high achievers, each acknowledged that the road to success was not always easy.
Rutledge entered Tuskegee through the university's Fast Track program and arrived with a passion for aerospace engineering that dated back to elementary school. Today, she serves as president of the Society of Women Engineers chapter and as Miss College of Engineering while maintaining a 3.99 GPA.
Stuckey, who now serves as Secretary of the Student Government Association, described herself as timid during her freshman year.
"I would never have imagined that I'd have a full-time offer before even starting my senior year," she said.
Gatson shared candid reflections on facing a daunting reality and the resilience he dug deep to find. He arrived at Tuskegee believing he was prepared for advanced mathematics, only to discover significant gaps in his foundation.
"Math was not an easy journey for me," he said. "I spent countless hours in tutoring, office hours, and the REACH Center. What got me through was persistence and learning to ask for help."
All three students emphasized that utilizing campus resources and seeking support are critical factors in student success.
When asked about mentors who made a difference, nearly in unison all three students gave the same immediate answer: Toya Dean, Student Activities Coordinator in the College of Engineering.
The students credited Dean with identifying their potential early, selecting them for BEYA opportunities, and encouraging them to pursue experiences that changed the trajectory of their careers.
"Had Ms. Dean not stopped me in the hallway and told me about BEYA, I wouldn't have known about Northrop Grumman," Gatson said. "She saw something in me before I saw it in myself."
Rutledge and Stuckey also praised Dr. Javed Khan, head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, for continuously advocating for students, creating research opportunities, and exposing them to experiences such as NASA projects and graduate school exploration programs.
The students were equally grateful for the unwavering support of their families.
"My parents have supported every goal I've ever set for myself," Rutledge said.
Gatson reflected on the influence of his parents and grandparents, including his late grandmother, whose encouragement helped sustain him through difficult moments.
"They always told me I could do amazing things," he said.
For these three future engineers, the next chapter is already underway. With full-time positions secured at one of the nation's premier aerospace and defense companies, they leave Tuskegee not only with degrees, but with proof that persistence, preparation, and The Tuskegee Way opens doors to extraordinary futures.
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