Anastasia “Sasha” Lesniewski is an aerospace engineering student at Purdue University pursuing a minor in Global Engineering Studies. After discovering aerospace through a TikTok rabbit hole during high school, Sasha transformed a newfound fascination with space into a path that took her from growing up in Guatemala to studying at Purdue—the “Cradle of Astronauts.”

In this episode, Sasha shares how the limited aerospace opportunities she encountered in Guatemala shaped her commitment to making STEM more accessible to students from different backgrounds. She discusses how living internationally changed the way she approaches engineering problems, why engineers need strong communication and cross-cultural skills, and how her experiences inspired her to build a career centered on serving others.

We also explore Sasha’s involvement in Pur ...