Seven years ago, Anan Takroori left his home in Palestine with his eyes set on earning an aerospace engineering degree. He landed at St. Louis Community College for a few years before transferring to Missouri S&T in 2010.
“I chose Missouri S&T because I wanted to have an aerospace engineering degree from one of the most respected universities in the United States,” Takroori says. “I wanted to get a chance to participate in undergraduate research and join some design teams, which I did. On the top of that, the university offered me many scholarships and gave me a chance to work on campus to support myself while doing what I love most, which is building planes, rockets and satellites.”
A past officer of the Advanced Aero Vehicle Group, president of the Muslim Student Association and subsystem lead for the Satellite Team, Takroori encourages students to enjoy every part of their day during their college life.
“Try to participate in student activities, research projects, and join clubs and design teams,” he says.
Takroori, now a graduate student in mechanical engineering, earned a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 2012. During the summer, you’ll find him working as a counselor in a number of S&T camps including Aerospace Camp and Robotics Camp.
“It’s one of the best jobs a person can have,” says Takroori, who is known by many campers simply as “Mr. Awesome.”
His interest in teaching kids about science and technology led him to organize several outreach events with the S&T Satellite Team, including “So You Want to be a Rocket Scientist,” “Flight Simulation for Kids” and “My First Rocket.”
Reviewed 2014-01-06