By John Robert Morton, Student and Alumni Affairs Liaison, and Stephen Ridenour, APU Alumnus
American Public University (APU) alumnus Stephen Ridenour has always been fascinated by rockets, outer space and what lies beyond our own Earth. But growing up in West Virginia – a state without a launch industry – posed a challenge to his dreams of getting involved in space exploration.
However, that didn’t stop him from wanting to get involved in the space industry. “I went to the Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum outside of DC, and saw amazing things such as planes, jets, and spacecraft like the Discovery. I fell in love with space,” he says.
Studying Space at APU
Stephen’s Christian faith plays a large part in how he lives. Stephen grew up in a religious environment, and Stephen’s mother and father – a pastor – taught him about moral values, humanity, and the importance of education.
After high school, Stephen wanted to continue his dream of becoming involved in launch operations. He became fascinated by the achievements of SpaceX, especially its reuseable rockets and reuseable spacecraft.
Upon the recommendation of a coworker, Stephen chose to enroll at APU and pursue a bachelor’s degree in space studies. It was the first step toward achieving his dream, and he became the first one in his immediate family to go to college.
“I had never looked at college, but I knew for me to succeed I had to take online courses because I worked full time,” Stephen says.
Like most of our students, higher education was not easy for Stephen. He had to balance his schoolwork with his job and family responsibilities.
Another challenge was the online environment, where many of his personal ideals and opinions were questioned by other students and faculty members as a part of the learning process. However, that experience ultimately helped him to expand his knowledge.
Stephen also joined Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS). In this student organization, he found like-minded peers and faculty members. He also served as a beta tester for outreach and communication projects and social media coordinator.
“In the end, my experience at APU was tremendous. I wish I could meet many of my professors in person to thank them for all that they did while I was working on my degree,” he adds. Stephen was also awarded the Undergraduate Academic Scholar Award this year during the University’s 2025 Commencement weekend.
Getting into the Aerospace Industry
Stephen spent a few months in NASA’s L’SPACE Mission Concept Academy as a Deputy Project Manager of Resources. This workforce development program helped him to acquire several useful skills, such as scheduling, operations management, interpersonal leadership, project management and budgeting.
Stephen has worked for several organizations over the years, including Walmart®, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Aramark®. Over the years, he networked to find opportunities in the space industry and eventually found a position with Northrop Grumman, an aerospace and defense company.
Stephen is currently employed as a supply chain manufacturing specialist and is helping to build small rocket motors. Aiding that process enables Stephen to continue his dream of assisting space exploration.
Advice to Future Space Studies Students
Stephen has several pieces of advice for other students interested in the space industry. “Don’t get discouraged,” he advises. “For these specialized career paths, rejections and multiple interviews are part of the process.
“If the job does not choose you, it might be for the best. Keep pushing because something perfect is out there for you,” he adds.
Stephen believes that you must keep progressing toward your professional goals. “You must be determined. If you don’t have determination, it is very likely you will give up when things do not produce results at first. Do anything you can to learn extra skills and make sure you set yourself to a high standard.”
Walmart is a registered trademark of Walmart, Inc.
Aramark is a registered trademark of Aramark Organizational Services, LLC.
About the Author
John Robert Morton is a Student & Alumni Affairs Liaison and has been with the University for 15 years. His bachelor’s degree in European history is from Troy University in Troy, Alabama. He also completed master’s degrees in political science and sports management from American Military University. As a liaison, John Robert enjoys helping students and alumni achieve their personal and professional goals.
About Our Department
The AMU and APU Alumni Affairs Office is dedicated to sustaining lifelong relationships with university alumni by providing engaging opportunities to stay involved and connected. We work closely with various stakeholders to strengthen the alumni experience and offer numerous benefits, services, activities, and events throughout the year.
As a team, the Alumni Affairs team works to build and sustain relationships with alumni along their personal and professional journeys. We actively look for ways to recognize and showcase alumni, telling their stories to motivate and encourage students to pursue their goals.
If you are an alumni community member and looking for ways to remain actively involved, please get in touch with alumni@apus.edu and speak with a team member.
