Designing a New Future

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When Daniel Zakrzewski returned to college in his 30s, he wasn't chasing a lifelong dream of becoming an engineer. He was searching for a new direction.

After earning a degree in history from Texas A&M University and considering a future in patent law, he realized the path he had envisioned for himself no longer felt right. What followed was a return to the classroom, a leap into engineering, and eventually an internship that would place him inside one of the nation's most recognizable aerospace environments.

Today, the University of Houston-Clear Lake graduate works as a Project Engineer with V2X, helping design and develop training hardware used to support astronaut preparation and mission operations connected to NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab.

The journey from career uncertainty to supporting human spaceflight efforts wasn't something he had planned. Looking back, he still finds it a little hard to believe.

"You meet some of these people and they've been doing this for 35 to 40 years," Zakrzewski said. "It was very much imposter syndrome at first. I was like, 'How the heck did I wind up here?'"

Finding the right path

Zakrzewski's decision to attend UHCL was influenced in part by family experience. His brother had previously enrolled at the university to pursue engineering and ultimately built a career in aerospace.

For Zakrzewski, the appeal was both practical and professional.

Born and raised in Houston, he wanted to remain close to home while pursuing a field that offered strong career opportunities. UHCL's location in the heart of the Clear Lake aerospace community made it an easy choice.

"I knew NASA and all the aerospace companies were in the area," he said. "That was definitely a big plus."

Returning to school after nearly a decade away from the classroom, however, brought challenges of its own.

"It was definitely a humbling experience," Zakrzewski said. "Trying to relearn things 10 years later while everybody around you is fresh out of high school was a little shocking at first."

Still, he embraced the challenge and quickly realized that succeeding in engineering would require more than strong grades. Like many students pursuing aerospace careers, he knew gaining real-world experience would be essential.

That realization led him to the Office of Strategic Partnerships.

Opportunity meets preparation

Through a Strategic Partnerships information session, Zakrzewski learned about internship opportunities with aerospace employers throughout the region.

Like many students, he was actively searching for a way to gain experience and get his foot in the door.

"You always hear that you need internships," he said. "Especially if your goal is to work at NASA."

One potential opportunity didn't materialize, but another soon emerged when V2X began seeking interns to support operations connected to NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab.

The opportunity arrived at exactly the right time.

Aerospace internships are highly competitive, and Zakrzewski admitted he wasn't sure what to expect when his name was put forward.

"It was very surreal," he said. "I kind of had to pinch myself."

For Bernadina Streeter, program manager in the Office of Strategic Partnerships, stories like Zakrzewski's demonstrate the value of connecting students with employers before graduation.

"Partnerships play a great role in connecting students on our campus to the many industries," Streeter said. "We really pride ourselves on finding real-world experiences for our students to engage in."

Streeter said those experiences not only help students apply classroom learning but also create pathways into careers that might otherwise feel out of reach.

For Zakrzewski, that connection became the turning point in his college experience.

Learning beyond the classroom

The internship exposed him to a professional environment unlike anything he had experienced before.

Surrounded by engineers with decades of experience, he initially questioned whether he belonged.

"It was a little overwhelming at first," he said. "You meet people who have been doing this for 35 to 40 years and have incredible backgrounds."

What surprised him most wasn't the complexity of the work, but the culture of learning that existed around him.

Rather than expecting new engineers to have all the answers, colleagues encouraged questions, collaboration, and curiosity.

"One of the biggest lessons I learned is that I don't know everything, and that's okay," Zakrzewski said. "People are always willing to help you, and they're still learning too."

That mindset changed the way he approached both engineering and problem-solving.

Instead of feeling pressure to know every answer, he focused on asking better questions, seeking guidance from experienced professionals, and remaining open to continuous growth.

The approach paid off both professionally and personally.

"It helped build confidence," he said. "You start realizing that you can do this."

Turning experience into a career

As graduation approached, Zakrzewski faced the same uncertainty experienced by many college seniors.

Would the internship lead to something permanent?

For months, the answer remained unclear.

Then, during the spring semester, he received a call from his supervisor informing him that an opportunity had opened within the organization.

Within days, he had an offer.

"It was a huge relief," Zakrzewski said. "A lot of weight came off my shoulders."

The timing allowed him to focus on finishing his degree while preparing for the transition into a full-time engineering role.

Today, his work blends engineering design and project management responsibilities, supporting the development of training systems and hardware used in astronaut preparation and mission support activities.

While much of the work happens behind the scenes, Zakrzewski says seeing projects move from concept to reality is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.

"If we design something, I can actually walk downstairs and see it being built," he said. "Then later I can see it being used. That's what keeps me going."

Building something bigger

One of the experiences that left the greatest impression on Zakrzewski involved supporting training efforts connected to NASA's Artemis program.

Although his role represented only a small piece of a much larger mission, it provided a firsthand look at how thousands of individuals contribute to human spaceflight.

"Seeing the real-world impact is what makes it exciting," he said. "You realize that something you worked on is helping support these missions."

That connection between everyday work and larger outcomes continues to motivate him.

As NASA prepares for future exploration efforts and the aerospace industry continues to evolve, Zakrzewski is excited about the opportunity to keep learning, growing, and contributing.

For students who may doubt whether similar opportunities are possible for them, his advice is simple.

"You'll never know unless you try," he said. "If you already think the answer is no, you might as well put yourself out there and find out."

It is advice rooted in his own experience.

A few years ago, Zakrzewski was a career-changer returning to school and trying to determine what came next. Today, he is helping support the training and preparation of the people who will help shape the future of space exploration.

And for someone who once wondered whether he belonged, that journey has made all the difference.