For Joseph Pavicic (Embry-Riddle, Lambda Mu ’11), Pi Kappa Alpha has been more than just a college experience. The Fraternity laid the foundation for a career that now plays a key role in one of the most ambitious space programs in history.
Joe currently serves as an Operations Project Engineer for NASA, where he works on launch integration for the Artemis II mission. This mission will send a crew of four astronauts around the moon in early 2026. In his role, Joe performs technical integration functions for all portions of the launch, helping ensure the success of this historic effort.
Before this role, Joe was the Launch System Specialist and manager for the Main Propulsion System and Engines team on Artemis I. He led a team of 25 engineers responsible for subsystem processing and launch countdown operations. He was also a member of the official launch team that helped send the Orion spacecraft to the moon. You can read more about Joe’s work in NASA’s “I Am Artemis” profile here.
Joe still finds time to also give back to the Fraternity. He currently serves as an advisor to the upcoming expansion project at the University of Central Florida. For Joe, mentoring the next generation of brothers is just as meaningful as launching rockets.
“Being able to pay it back and volunteer as an advisor and mentor a group of amazing young men is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have,” Joe said. “I love watching these young men develop from young freshmen into leaders in the campus and community. The experiences we had during our time as active brothers of the fraternity were an important piece of how many of us got to where we are today. Knowing that I am able to play a small role in someone’s personal development, and to watch them learn lessons that will last them throughout their whole life, is a very humbling experience.”