Meridian Community College: Sophomore Sets His Sights On The Stars

Press release from Meridian Community College:

September 10, 2021

Meridian Community College student Caleb Clearman is aiming for the stars.

“I want to reach for a Ph.D. and work for either NASA, SpaceX, European Space Agency,
or Cern,” the 19-year-old sophomore said about his future goals of becoming an astrophysicist.

Clearman is an honors student studying in the University Transfer Program who plans
to become an astrophysicist – a goal that took off after a chance encounter. “It all
started when I watched my first podcast of StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson,” he
said. “And physics just fell into place after my high school physics class,” he added.
With a passion for the stars, Clearman describes himself as an amateur astronomer.

The MCC Foundation’s Tuition Guarantee was the primary reason why he chose to start
his higher education studies at MCC. “Plus, the ratio of instructors to students was
good,” he said.

He is president of MCC’s Nu Upsilon chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and a regional officer
of the Mississippi/Louisiana Region of PTK. Being involved in PTK is important to
Clearman because the organization offers opportunities to make a difference. Regional
officers like Clearman are working with other PTK chapters assessing and assisting
them with their scholars’ projects.

He’s also a member of The Phil Hardin Foundation Honors College at Meridian Community
College and that organization’s Honors Council. Clearman is also running for president
of MCC’s Student Government Association, “to get more involved,” he said.

When he’s not studying or looking at the stars, Clearman enjoys being with family
and friends and likes to get outdoors to hike, especially at Bonita Lakes. He recalled
a favorite trek when he was on a high school trip to England, and they journeyed to
the prehistoric monument, Stonehenge. “That was pretty cool. It tested your limits
because it was so windy.”

This press release was produced by Meridian Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.