Louis Thompson was thirteen years and two days old on August 30, 1983 – the day Guion “Guy” Bluford became the first African American to go to space. Thompson recalls his amazement, in awe that they even allowed Black people to go to space. That profound moment put him on a path to NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where he is now based and employed as an education program specialist of the southeast region for the NASA Office of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Engagement. Like Bluford was for him, Thompson is now responsible for inspiring the next generation of underserved youth with high-reaching dreams.  

Thompson’s journey to NASA took several detours, including his first few years in college. When Thompson first arrived at a primarily white institution (PWI) in Mississippi, he quickly felt out of place. Though he attended on a basketball scholarship and became the president of the Black Student Association (BSA), Thompson’s experiences with institutional racism, including the disbandment of the BSA by the university, led him to make a pivotal decision to transfer to the alma mater of his mother (Mary Soniat Thompson, class of  1971) and older sister (Germaine Soniat Nash, class of 1968) - Xavier University of Louisiana, which is on the cusp of celebrating its historic first century of service.  

“It was the best decision I could have made,” said Thompson about his transfer. “I got the individual instruction and support that I needed to be successful.” 

Thompson credits his success to the support he received not only from faculty and staff at Xavier but also from his “posse” of friends in the mathematics department who studied together and kept each other on track through graduation. Thompson admits that he was the “least invested” in his academics at the time and is grateful to his friends who motivated and inspired him to finish.  

“That’s where I got my grit from,” he said about the encouragement from his peers, which has sustained him even in his professional career. “When things get tough (in life), I remember when things were tough in those study groups. Those experiences in perseverance are invaluable, something I didn’t get (as a Black student) at the PWI that I attended.”  

Thanks to the Xavier community that consistently challenged and uplifted him, Thompson would cross the stage in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics, becoming the first male in his family to receive a four-year higher education diploma. 

Despite his struggles, and with encouragement from a fellow Xavierite also participating in the program, Thompson made time to work with Americorp, a national service organization. Through Americorp, Thompson staffed a group called the Neighborhood Math Place, where he tutored kindergarten through 12th grade students. The stipend that he received helped ease the financial burden on the young Thompson and his family. After completing his time at Xavier, Thompson then served for 22 years as a middle school math teacher in Orleans Parish.  Within this timeframe, Thompson also devoted a couple of summers as a facilitator for Xavier’s Stress on Analytical Reasoning (SOAR) annual ACT Prep Program. 

Eventually, he became a contract worker for a company in South Mississippi as an education program specialist, with said program hosted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. His background in mathematics, experience in the public school system, and drive to inspire young students made him stand out - and NASA soon took notice. In February 2023, Thompson was hired by NASA.   

NASA is working to elevate diversity, and Thompson’s position is a critical element in reaching students who, like Thompson thought at the age of thirteen, may not even know that they can achieve the “dream” of working for NASA, even if they see professionals who mirror their experience and image. Thompson has made it his mission for them to understand that anyone, even non-STEM majors, can work for NASA. Thompson routinely speaks with the youth who could one day support NASA’s Artemis missions to Mars. 

“If I can work at NASA, anyone can work at NASA,” he assures his audiences. “NASA is always looking for excellent talent. Take the opportunity and apply - you never know where it may take you.”  

In his role, Thompson provides workshops, professional development classes, and other STEM-related opportunities designed to inspire the young students he works with. Because of his success, Thompson was recently featured in the “Lagniappe” newsletter for NASA Stennis. The article recounts his journey from Xavier to NASA and how the lessons in teamwork and community serve him well in his endeavors to share the opportunities open to students from underserved communities.  

Thompson takes pride as an intern lead within NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), a federally funded project that engages underrepresented populations through a wide variety of initiatives. Thompson is a staunch advocate for the institution’s competitive internship program, sharing that there is a subset for students who attend minority serving institutions (MSIs).  

As the nation’s only historically Black and Catholic institution, Xavier has served underserved communities and populations for nearly one hundred years. Bestowed with a mission to promote a more just and humane society by its foundress, St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Xavier has long instilled its values in the many generations of students who walk through its halls. Thompson is one such alum who has taken those values to heart, using his position to guide the successors of this great legacy. 

“The more I can get out and speak to students, incite their excitement and drive, the more I can connect with educators, who can be a bridge... As long as we have that communication and relationship, that is critical to inspire and encourage students,” explains Thompson. “NASA wants to go back to the Moon. A lot is being done [in Louisiana and elsewhere] for aerospace and engineering. The more we can support students in their efforts to decide upon a career path, the more will be able to reach for the stars.”