College Updates
Florida Poly Students Strive to Make Space Safer
WRITTEN BY LYDIA GUZMAN | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC
Performing maintenance outside the International Space Station is a complex and risky task that requires astronauts to wear bulky space suits and conduct spacewalks to repair vital components like the station’s protective multi-layer insulation. To improve safety and efficiency, NASA continually seeks innovative solutions to support this critical work.
Now, a team of mechanical engineering students from Florida Polytechnic University has stepped up with a promising new idea. The group of rising seniors designed a tool aimed at simplifying a common challenge faced by astronauts: securing two overlapping pieces of a specialized fabric-like material when only one side is accessible—mirroring real-world conditions outside the ISS.
“If there was something wrong with the fabric and it needed to be repaired, our device would essentially put a new piece of fabric on top,” said David Chazbani, a student from Parkland, Fla. “Our NASA mentors gave us a lot of good feedback throughout the project about things like piercing the fabric and how comfortable the tool will be for an astronaut to use with their gloves.”
The creative device has the potential to improve the way astronauts conduct repairs, reducing risks and increasing effectiveness during spacewalks on the 25-year-old orbiting laboratory.
The effort was part of NASA’s highly selective Micro-g NExT Challenge, which tested collegiate teams’ designs at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in early June. This was Florida Poly’s first time participating in the event, joining only 16 other schools from across the country, including Virginia Tech and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
NASA divers tested the team’s device underwater at the agency’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab to simulate conditions in space—and the results were nothing short of perfection. Florida Poly’s device was the only tool to successfully complete the challenge.
“The testers said that our device was the closest thing they’ve seen to something they would actually create and design for themselves to use, and that was the greatest compliment we could receive,” said Eduardo Jirau, the team’s lead.
SEU Worship Celebrates Release of New Album
Following a flurry of success in 2024, including hitting #1 on Apple Music’s Christian Music Chart, SEU Worship dropped its latest album “A Forgiving God” earlier this summer.
A press release from Southeastern University says the album “is a reflection of the journey Southeastern University’s campus has taken through seasons of prayer, creativity, and rediscovery of God’s mercy.”
The songs explore the honest experience of continually striving to draw near to God, falling short and seeking His mercy that can lead to healing and redemption.
“A Forgiving God” is a nine-track album that departs from the structure of traditional worship formats. Instead, it leans into creative expression and intentional storytelling, using a blend of folksy instrumentation and indie textures, which are designed to capture the evolving sound of SEU Worship. Influenced by extended worship moments, prayer chapels, and the broader movement happening on campus, the album reflects a dynamic and evolving expression of praise.
Two songs from the album that are currently available, entitled “Fruit Takes Time” and “Dwell,” offer a soundtrack for real-life faith. In the first two months after being released these two singles surpassed 2 million streams collectively.
You can listen to the full album anywhere you listen to streaming music.
Polk State OTA Students Making Real-World Impact for Underserved Population
Polk State College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program recently launched a partnership with The Mission of Winter Haven to provide students with meaningful, real-world experience while empowering individuals facing homelessness and hunger through targeted life skills training.
The first of its kind in the nation, this hands-on collaboration allows Polk State’s OTA students to assess clients at The Mission, design interventions and deliver group programs under the supervision of their clinical coordinator.
“We wanted to reach out to occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants because when people ask what the greatest thing people need is, it’s a support system,” said David Berry, the Executive Director of The Mission. “That’s what OT helps us create for our people—a support system to flourish, to grow and to be everything they were created to be.”
The result? A powerful blend of education and service that is already changing lives.
The program has assisted several individuals, including:
Four individuals or families with securing housing
Two veterans who are now receiving full-service support, including housing and Veterans Affairs services
14 individuals who have gained full-time or part-time employment
Six previously homeless clients who have transitioned into part-time paid roles at The Mission, thanks to their successful participation in training and competency development facilitated by OTA students
The success so far has led to The Mission formally embedding occupational therapy into its intake process and service delivery model, Gonzalez explained, with OT recognized as a core component of the organization’s ongoing resources.
“In a significant step toward program sustainability, The Mission has committed to hiring a full-time Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) from the Polk State College graduate pool to further implement and expand this initiative,” she said. “This model sets a national precedent for integrating OT services into community-based settings that serve underserved populations.”