Texas Border Business
For many students, dreams begin in a classroom. For one PSJA North Early College High School graduate and Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District alum Raphael Angeles, that dream eventually helped him land a rocket back on Earth.
Today, Angeles works as a Responsible Engineer for the Landing Gear System on Blue Origin’s orbital rocket, New Glenn, helping oversee the design, manufacturing, testing, and flight readiness of critical rocket components. But long before he was working in aerospace, he was a student balancing AP exams, college-level coursework, theatre rehearsals, and late nights studying at PSJA North Early College High School in Pharr, Texas.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Rio Grande Valley after immigrating at just three years old, Angeles said his journey into aerospace engineering was never part of some lifelong master plan.
“As an immigrant kid from the Philippines, becoming a rocket engineer never felt like something that was realistically within reach,” said the PSJA alum. “There were moments when I doubted whether someone from our community could actually make it into an industry like aerospace. But PSJA gave me opportunities that changed that for me. Now, I think about the classrooms at PSJA North, the people who believed in me, and the students back home who may not realize yet how far they’re capable of going.”
That belief was shaped during his years at PSJA ISD, where teachers saw potential in him long before he fully saw it in himself.
Angeles credits PSJA ISD educators Marcia Ziegler and Gregorio Garza for challenging him academically through advanced calculus and physics courses that later became the backbone of his engineering studies at The University of Texas at Austin. He also points to theatre directors Jackie Zepeda and Bryan Honl for teaching him discipline, resilience, and work ethic far beyond the stage.
Most importantly, he said, his mother, Rose Hernandez, now a principal, gave him the support and encouragement that changed the trajectory of his life.
At PSJA North ECHS, Angeles immersed himself in rigorous college-level courses, often taking six or seven AP exams in a single year while completing early college coursework. The pressure was intense, but he said it prepared him for the reality of engineering school and eventually one of the most competitive industries in the world.
After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, Angeles earned a coveted spot in Blue Origin’s highly selective New Graduate Rotation Program, where he worked on rocket engines, launch vehicles, and lunar landers before transitioning into his current role.
One moment still stays with him.
On November 13, 2025, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully landed during a major mission milestone. Angeles watched knowing pieces of his own work were part of that achievement.
For Angeles, representing the Rio Grande Valley inside the aerospace industry carries deep meaning. He hopes students back home understand that their background does not limit their future.
“Growing up, there was a stigma that people from the Valley weren’t ambitious enough,” Angeles said. “That’s simply not true. The Rio Grande Valley has some of the hardest-working people in the world.”
PSJA Superintendent Dr. Alejandro Elias said Angeles represents what is possible when students are given access to opportunity, support, and strong educational foundations.
“Raphael’s story is a powerful reminder that our students can compete and succeed anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Elias. “From PSJA classrooms to the aerospace industry, his journey reflects the determination, resilience, and excellence we see in our students every day. We are incredibly proud of him.”
As for the future, Angeles wants to become a senior engineer tackling the hardest problems in the industry and mentoring early career engineers.
For PSJA students dreaming beyond what feels possible, Angeles’ story stands as proof that extraordinary futures can begin right here at home.
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD is an open enrollment school district welcoming students living anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley. For more information or to schedule a campus tour, visit www.psjaisd.us/whypsja
