Defying Gravity: One Intern’s Limitless Potential

How resilience, mentorship and determination are propelling Ron McIntosh's future.

student working on equipment with protective glasses

student sitting on bar stool in front of equipment smiling

Ron McIntosh hopes to work at Northrop Grumman one day as an aeronautics engineer.

By Julie Knight

Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Caran “Ron” McIntosh faced challenges no child should have to face — from a water crisis due to lead in the community drinking water to an economic downturn that left many kids his age living amid poverty and crime.

One of our 77 aeronautics student interns in Palmdale right now, Ron says. “I’ve seen a lot of people getting into all kinds of trouble growing up. I never wanted trouble. I just wanted to be somebody.”

Lifting Off From Flint

He credits his “God-given” gift for math and a lot of hard work for helping him earn a full tuition scholarship to Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s top research universities.

The first in his family to attend college, Ron is studying mechanical engineering with a minor in math and is on track to graduate next May. Eager to see the world beyond Flint, he moved to D.C. as soon as he could after receiving his college acceptance letter at age 17.

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Student intern Titus Jenkins, right, (also in his second year interning in Palmdale), says, “I’ve never seen Ron without a smile on his face. We’ve become good friends.”

Soaring Ambitions

As for where his dream of becoming an aeronautics engineer came from, he says, “I remember as a kid looking up at airplanes in the sky, feeling so curious, wondering how that was even possible.”

This is Ron’s second year as a Northrop Grumman intern at Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale. His role as an Aeronautics test and evaluation engineering intern involves working on different aircraft systems and ensuring safety during flight test operations.

“I’ve learned more from my internships here than in four years of college. It’s mind-blowing to learn how everything works, not from a book or theory but from real life. They teach us how things are supposed to go and this is why.”

Ron says if someone had asked him two years ago about his career goals, his answer would have been “doing exactly what I’m doing now.”

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Grateful for Great Mentors

He credits Site Leader Gina Woullard, vice president of Manufacturing Affordability, as one of his many mentors here. “I’ve learned so much from my mentors, including that there are so many opportunities here and as an engineer in general. Thanks to what I’ve learned here, along with the people I have met, so many opportunities can open up for me, and I’m so grateful for that.”

The best advice he’s received? “One mentor told me, it's not what you know or who you know, it's who knows you. That’s why the employee resource groups here are so valuable. You get to meet people you wouldn’t ordinarily get to meet, and those people can connect you to others. I met Gina at an African American Task Group event.”

Giving Back

His other favorite piece of advice is, “When you’re on your way up, take someone with you.”

Following this guidance, Ron serves as a mentor to several students at Howard, sharing insights on topics, such as interview etiquette and strategies for making it through college. “I learned how important it is to have a village around you, and I try to be a part of that village for people.”

Making His Parents Proud

Both his dad and his mom couldn’t be more proud of him, he says. His dad never graduated from high school, and his mom wasn’t able to finish college.

“I seem to shock them every time I tell them about how far I’ve come.”

Meanwhile, the sky’s the limit for this talented intern’s career. “I would love to work at Northrop Grumman after I graduate,” he adds. “That would be a dream come true.”

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