Mae Marie Guerra 14900 East Center Avenue Unit J Aurora, CO 80012

Logo Credit: Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP)

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing this letter to propose a possible internship on your campus. My name is Mae Guerra and I am currently completing my Masters in Instructional Design and Technology at The University of Colorado at Denver. In order to graduate this winter, I have two remaining courses to complete. The two courses are (1) Leadership and Practice and (2) an Internship in Instructional Design. I am proposing to work on your campus for my internship and leadership practice coursework. In this internship, I would act as the Instructional Designer for the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) on your campus. If granted this opportunity, I would like to set up a team of students and faculty on your campus for the current opportunity that was recently announced from the National Center for Earth and Education. The announcement reads as follows: Current Opportunity (announced April 22, 2012): The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education announces the fifth SSEP flight opportunitySSEP Mission 3 to the International Space Station (ISS). Each participating community will be provided all launch services to fly a real microgravity research mini-laboratory on ISS from early April to mid-May 2013, and a kit for assembly of their mini-lab. Student teams across each participating community will have at least 8 weeks (September 17 to November 9, 2012) to design experiments, and write and submit 5-page proposals, with proposals due by November 9, 2012. As an instructional designer, my role in this project would be to ensure collaborative, constructivist approaches in guiding the framework for discussion within the SSEP team meetings. This discussion then turns to the nature and importance of institutional leadership. My duties would include: Negotiating funds for program though corporate sponsorship Attending and facilitating community SSEP meetings/courses with a collaborative approach Submitting required paperwork in a timely manner and in accordance with program deadlines Adhering to rules and ensure discussions are focused on the agreed shared vision of project Defining norms and expectations within the agreed upon SSEP meetings dates Facilitating fair and equitable guidance among departments Committing to 180 hours of time to implementing program as required by my graduate courses and program requirements Creating an SSEP blog for the participating community This internship will benefit your campus community in that it will provide researcher access to space via commercial payloads. My involvement in this project would ensure: submission of paperwork in accordance to program deadlines, interdisciplinary collaboration across schools and departments, corporate and governmental funding for project as well as the thoughtful guidance of pacing, norms and vision without compromising collaboration. 1

I am an excellent fit for this internship in that I have a hearty background in applied learning and development. I am a learner, a mother, a student, a teacher and an inquirer. I have taught math and science (for grades 1-8 in title 1 schools) for the past ten years and have never stopped learning. I teach through guidance and believe it is the students classroom. To learn more about my experience and teaching philosophy you may view my profile at LinkedIn or visit my professional blog. I know that as an intern, I will truly be an asset on your campus because I believe in this program and am profoundly passionate about its educational vision and where it is taking us as a society. It is my goal to see Denver represent our nation in the next mission to the ISS. The SSEP has not had a community represent Denver in the application process. I know the Denver with its highly gifted learning institutions and nearby universities can do it! In an effort in achieving this goal, I would be happy to design and facilitate SSEP lessons at your school. With the STEM pedagogy in mind, I would work under several STEM teachers within the community to coordinate SSEP experimental design lessons for their classrooms. Since I am not teaching full time this year, I would have three days out of the week to dedicate to this project. I see this dream becoming reality given the resources we have here in Denver. Imagine one of your student experiments achieving only a few in the past could do and that is to take their science to space! In this e-mail, I have attached the SSEP press release regarding this program. The press release contains a plethora of information that could be easily applied in the synthesis of this proposed club. Deadlines on this project are critical. Letters of Commitment from participating communities are due September 12, 2012. Student teams, together with their teacher facilitators, will then have at least 8 weeks (September 17 to November 9, 2012) to design their experiments and submit 5-page proposals by November 9, 2012. Therefore, beginning the process and forming the SSEP team as soon as possible is important in winning the ISS mini-lab slot. I am available to meet with you in regards to this awesome internship, (Monday Thursday) anytime and at your convenience. You may contact me at 303-437-4180 or maemarie512@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your time and consideration in reading this proposal letter. Sincerely, Mae Guerra Experienced Educator Community College of Denver