Morgan Freeman was a junior in high school when she was part of Northrop Grumman’s High School Improvement Program.
Building STEM Leaders
From Chalkboards to Labs
By Bridie Bryant
From developing robotic vehicles in high school to becoming a software program lead at Northrop Grumman, Niko Kostas always had a passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and mentoring those around him. While attending high school at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, Niko and his classmates had the opportunity to further expand their STEM knowledge and development through Northrop Grumman’s High School Involvement Partnership (HIP) mentorship program.
Niko Kostas (right), and his former mentor Rafael Tilghman (left) testing a catapult during the HIP program in 2012.
“During the HIP program, I looked forward to visiting Northrop Grumman every month,” Niko said. “It was awesome to see how the company operated—it was like watching a scene from Iron Man; some of the smartest people in the world working together in labs with incredible technology.”
Northrop Grumman created the HIP program to inspire and prepare high school students for careers in STEM and to grow the pipeline of diverse, innovative leaders who are excited and passionate about the field.
From building a disaster recovery vehicle using a robotics kit to creating a catapult to study physics-related concepts, Niko obtained invaluable hands-on experiences and exposure that further fueled his passion for STEM during the HIP program.
“There's nothing better than seeing the magic of engineering in action and taking what you're learning in school and applying it in a real-world application,” Niko said.
Gaining Leadership Lessons through Military Service
After graduating high school with honors, Niko enlisted in the Maryland National Guard as a Private First Class, initially moving up in the ranks because of his academic achievements. He attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore College (UMBC) and completed the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), which allowed him to prepare for military service and develop professional skills. Upon completion of the ROTC program and his college education, Niko commissioned as an Officer in the United States Army.
“As an officer, right out of the gate you’re working side-by-side with someone who's potentially been in the military ten to 20 years,” Niko said. “I led soldiers as a brand-new officer, just out of college, and I quickly learned earning the trust of your team is key to leadership.”
When he transitioned to a civilian profession, Niko used his connections from the HIP program and his military experience to start his career at Northrop Grumman. Niko’s service and lessons in leadership inspired him to continue serving with the National Guard, while working full-time.
“The opportunity to directly help my community that I live in is important to me and Northrop Grumman has been extremely supportive of my decision to continue serving,” Niko said.
“As an officer, right out of the gate you’re working side-by-side with someone who's potentially been in the military ten to 20 years,” Niko said. “I led soldiers as a brand-new officer, just out of college, and I quickly learned earning the trust of your team is key to leadership.”
When he transitioned to a civilian profession, Niko used his connections from the HIP program and his military experience to start his career at Northrop Grumman. Niko’s service and lessons in leadership inspired him to continue serving with the National Guard, while working full-time.
“The opportunity to directly help my community that I live in is important to me and Northrop Grumman has been extremely supportive of my decision to continue serving,” Niko said.
Today Niko is an integrated program team (IPT) lead at Northrop Grumman.
In a Mentor's Shoes
After a few years with the company, he reconnected with the HIP program team and signed up as a mentor to coach local students—a full circle moment for Niko.
“My HIP mentor had a significant impact on me when I was in high school,” Niko said. “And that serves as my motivation now that I’m a mentor in the very program that got me here. I’m striving to recreate the experience that I had for these aspiring engineers,” said Niko.
As Niko reflects on his career journey, this is his advice for young talent looking to find their groove, no matter their passion:
“Never count yourself out. I remember thinking ‘How am I going to get through school?’ or ‘How will I be able to serve in the National Guard and work full time?’ But looking back, I can attribute the success I’ve had thus far to hard work and meaningful relationships,” said Niko.
Niko says to remember “the why” behind what you do because the why is so foundational, and a solid foundation of who you are and what you aspire to be will take you far.
Life at Northrop Grumman
Your work at Northrop Grumman makes a difference. Whether you want to design next-generation aircraft, harness digital technologies or build spacecraft that will return humanity to the moon, you’ll contribute to technology that’s transforming the world. Check out our career opportunities to see how you can help define possible.
