Over the past several years, inspiring steps have been taken toward countering the staggering male dominance of STEM-focused fields. This month, NASA continued the forward progression of the all-too-important movement of empowering young women by working with famed musician Grace Potter and releasing a striking new video called “Look What We’ve Become.” The video features—and celebrates—the achievements of NASA women throughout history. Whether planning missions, designing structures, or blasting off into the final frontier themselves, the video makes it clear that the role of women in space exploration has not only been pivotal, but also absolutely essential. 

Such positive examples of women succeeding in the face of adversity are great reminders to young women—and all TXGU'ers—that anyone, as cliche as it sounds, can accomplish anything they set their minds to. Being a part of something historic is never easy—whether it’s becoming the first woman to command the space shuttle (as Eileen Collins did in 1999) or becoming the first member of your family to go to college—but with some hard work, lots of determination, and a little help, success is totally a mission we can all accomplish.