THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ASSOCIATION (NASA) RECOGNIZES THE NATION'S NEED FOR TALENTED AND DIVERSE STUDENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) DISCIPLINES, AND IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE COUNTRY'S WORKING YOUTH WHO WILL LEAD THE NATION'S RESEARCH ENTITIES OF THE FUTURE. THE NASA STUDENT CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM (CEP) ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE IN STEM FIELDS THAT THE NATION IS FACING BY PROVIDING HANDS-ON STEM AND BUSINESS INTERNSHIPS TO STUDENTS FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES. THE UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (USRA), A CONSORTIUM OF 105 RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES, HAS EARNED A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT THROUGH ITS BENCHMARK PROCESSES, INNOVATIVE PROGRAM INITIATIVES, AND HIGHLY TALENTED AND SKILLED STAFF AND MANAGEMENT. USRA WILL PROVIDE THE LEAST BURDEN AND BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE TO NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER (JSC) AND THE CEP BY ENSURING SEAMLESS PROGRAM TRANSITION THROUGH ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH MENTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE JSC OFFICE OF EDUCATION; THROUGH EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL WHO ARE ALREADY INTEGRATED AT JSC; AND THROUGH THE UTILIZATION OF PROVEN AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM PROCESSES AND MECHANISMS. USRA'S MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTING THE CEP WILL PROMOTE THE GREATEST STUDENT SUCCESS IN THEIR CAREER FIELD THROUGH RICH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING EXPERIENCES, COUPLED WITH INSPIRING AND ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. USRA WILL ENGAGE ITS BROAD NETWORK OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO LEVERAGE SUPPLEMENTAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, JOB-SHADOWING EXPERIENCES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION TO MAXIMIZE THE CEP STUDENT EXPERIENCE. USRA'S INNOVATIVE YEAR-LONG AND SEMESTER-BASED CEP DESIGN PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE INTERNSHIP AND PAYMENT OPTIONS THAT WILL ALLOW THE GREATEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE AND WILL FLEXIBLY MEET THE FLUCTUATING NEEDS OF JSC.