For Marlena Carrington Hudson ’02, one of the most rewarding parts of her job is helping employees grow and realize their potential. As the manager of the Employee and Organization Development division of the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH, Hudson spends the majority of her day with her team in the planning of training for NASA staff members. “I am a creative person, so I enjoy instructional design and developing educational experiences,” says Hudson.

Hudson’s journey to NASA was not a straight path. “From a very early age, I always wanted to be a lawyer,” she says, but after enrolling at Hiram College, she used her time to reflect on her skillset and her interests. Hudson chose to major in communication, and during a summer job at KeyBank, she began leading employee training sessions. “After graduating from Hiram, I was offered at full-time position at KeyBank in their Risk Management Department leading the training for that group. Then, I transferred to Human Resources. I’ve done almost every position in training at KeyBank. I’ve done everything from instructional designer to trainer to training manager.”

Following her time at KeyBank and a subsequent training role with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Hudson joined the NASA team in 2012. She attributes much of her success to her personal decision to chart her own path, including the choice to apply to Hiram College. “Being at Hiram was an enlightening time for me,” says Hudson. “I was able to experience a wide range of subjects and, most of all, learn more about myself.”