​​Growing up in India, Simran Bhalla dreamed of one day working for NASA and venturing into space. As a first-generation immigrant, Simran endured financial, physical and emotional hardship in pursuit of higher education. However, her quest for knowledge gave her the motivation and strength to overcome the obstacles she faced. Today, Simran is pursuing her undergraduate degree in business administration with a concentration in management information systems at San José State University.

Simran volunteers at Third Street Community Center, a nonprofit that provides youth educational programs. She is also an active member of the Management Information Systems Association on campus and works alongside her professor to design products to assist students with their career goals. This year, Simran is learning to develop applications to improve the health and well-being of those affected by natural disasters. ​​

​​Simran plans to earn a doctorate and eventually work as a data scientist at NASA to aid and promote scientific research.​