Mississippi aerospace engineering graduate student Jarred Reneau has enjoyed exploring his entire life.
Growing up in Slidell and New Orleans, La., he would wander around his neighborhood and into nearby woods.
To help the engineering student learn more about the world, he will explore Japan later this year through a Rotary Club Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarship. He will learn Japanese and try new things, such as sumo wrestling and climbing Mount Fuji.
While Reneau loves exploring the world, his Japanese experience will fit into his long-term career goals to explore beyond earth's atmosphere. Reneau has set his sights on becoming an astronaut, deciding to take aerospace engineering graduate courses to boost him closer to space. He said learning Japanese may help him reach his goal of becoming an astronaut, since the country also has a space program.
"I like the idea of exploring," said Reneau, who earned his bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from MSU. "I love the idea of working on the moon or Mars."