An accounting education at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics can truly take you anywhere. That includes the Big Four firms and local accounting partnerships. But that also includes NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

This summer, accounting grad Abraham Mohammad ’25 is completing an internship at NASA’s Huntsville, Alabama, facility, the nation’s largest space flight center. Mohammad supports the Human Factors Engineering Branch by enabling more efficient physical mockups and virtual reality evaluations for engineering projects across NASA. He also manages procurement and purchase request activities, including for the Human Landing System (HLS) program. These initiatives will help make possible the future Artemis lunar missions. 

“It is surprising how transferrable accounting truly is,” observes Mohammad. “I may not be preparing financial statements, but I’m constantly applying the skills I developed in my accounting courses. My internship has shown me accounting is about bringing structure, accountability, and informed decision-making to complex problems, regardless of the industry.”
The skills most useful to Mohammad include documenting assumptions, organizing workpapers, analyzing costs, improving processes and building systems people can rely on.

A Robotics and Aerospace Focus Lead the Way to NASA

Mohammad has been fascinated by the space program and aerospace since childhood, but he also developed a business acumen early on. During his student days at Cal State Fullerton, he was involved in the Titan Rover program, which designs Mars rover prototypes for varsity competitions. His involvement in NASA’s Sustainability Business Model Challenge resulted in a first-place finish and a $10,000 award along with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) training from industry experts.

Among the business courses that Mohammad has found most impactful are emerging technologies in accounting classes which challenge students to use tools such as Power BI and automation to solve workflow issues, as well as organizational behavior, operations and accounting information systems coursework taught by various professors. 

Starting Your Internship or Career with NASA

If your career aspirations are truly out of this world, Mohammad encourages fellow Titans to not let major, background or circumstances define you. “The interns I’ve met have incredibly diverse backgrounds, and many followed unconventional paths to get here,” he says. “What stands out isn’t that everyone has the same experience—it’s that everyone is willing to keep learning.”

A strong GPA and a good education are important, but they’ll only take you so far. Extracurricular involvements such as challenges and competitions, club involvement and volunteering with off-campus organizations can be game-changers.  

“That same mindset shaped my internship. Whenever I met someone facing a challenge, I’d ask if there was a way I could help. Stay fundamentally curious. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone or beyond the expectations of your major. The opportunities that shape your career are often the ones you create for yourself,” he says.

For More on Accounting Education at CSUF

For more on undergrad and graduate school accounting experiences at CSUF, read more of our articles on the School of Accountancy.