Amanda Bryan, a former student in the Cooperative Education Program at
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., has been named 2004
“Co-op of the Year” by the Alabama Association of Colleges & Employers.

Bryan, a Cleveland, Ala., native, joined the Marshall Center in 2003 as a
co-op in the Protocol Office. After receiving her college degree this year,
she was hired as a civil servant management support assistant. Assigned to
the Marshall Center’s Protocol Office, Bryan assists with special guest
visits and events, maintains the office calendar, schedules meetings and
events, and coordinates travel arrangements.

“Working at the Marshall Center as part of the co-op program gave me an
opportunity to work with a great staff of professionals,” said Bryan. “And
interacting with the diverse collection of visitors to the Marshall Center
was one of the features that made my co-op position something I looked
forward to doing each day.”

“Amanda brings great skill and professional ability to our office, and we
are lucky to have her as part of our team,” said Sandra Turner, protocol
officer for the Marshall Center. “The award is well deserved and an
indication of her hard work and commitment to her job.”

The NASA Cooperative Education Program allows students to combine academic
study with paid career-related work experience, alternating periods of
classroom study with work at NASA centers. Students enroll in the
cooperative education program at their schools and are referred to a NASA
center by the school’s cooperative education administrator. The program
provides students with full-time work directly related to their field of
study, and allows them to gain a better understanding of human relations.

“At the Marshall Center, we’re lucky to attract some of the best and
brightest to our co-op program,” said Chrissa Hall, coordinator of
Marshall’s Cooperative Education Program. “Their work experience, coupled
with their classroom curriculum, help develop students to enter the
professional world after graduation. Whether a student’s field of study is
science, engineering, management or other related fields, the co-op program
helps cultivate a student’s skills for the professional environment.”

The Co-op of the Year Award is given annually by the Alabama Association of
Colleges & Employers to recognize outstanding achievement in a student’s
field of study. Founded in 1987, the association is a professional alliance
of representatives from schools, career service groups and employers
throughout the state. It provides information about opportunities available
to students and graduates and promotes high work standards and ethical
practices.

Bryan was recently presented with a plaque highlighting her achievement. She
was presented the award by Darlene Huff, acting coordinator of the co-op
program at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala. – Bryan’s
alma mater.

A graduate of Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Ala., Bryan earned an
associate degree in secretarial sciences from Wallace State in 2004. She is
a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, which recognizes
academic achievement of students at two-year colleges. She recently placed
third for the Two-Year College Student Achievement Award presented by the
Cooperative Education and Internship Association, a national organization
providing professional development and resources to students involved in
co-op programs. The award honors students who strive for academic and
professional excellence in classroom and internship environments.

Bryan is the daughter of Allan and Susan Bryan of Cleveland, Ala.

For more information on the Marshall Center Cooperative Education Program,
visit the Web site: http://coop.msfc.nasa.gov