Tia Bolden’s story weaves together resilience, community, and determination. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, she was introduced to STEM early, attending middle school camps that sparked her curiosity. At the same time, she excelled in softball and initially envisioned a future blending sports and science. After attending engineering boot camps at Georgia Tech, a coach suggested that balancing a STEM major with athletics would be overwhelming. Bolden didn’t see this as a setback but as a redirection. With encouragement from her parents to explore HBCUs, she visited Savannah State University. A tour and meeting with the softball coach sealed the decision, and she embraced a new chapter as a Tiger.
At Savannah State, Bolden thrived. She became an active leader and proud member of the Delta Nu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She credits Dr. Lambright, a professor who pushed her to excel, with shaping her academic journey. The nurturing environment of an HBCU gave her confidence, while experiences like her internship at Gulfstream Aerospace provided the technical foundation she would later carry to NASA.
Her big break came at a National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) conference, where a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity—learning she was a Delta—mentored her and introduced her to his NASA manager. That connection changed her life. At 21, Bolden received an offer to work as an electrical manufacturing engineer at NASA, starting at $93,000. She remembers calling her parents in tears, their joy erupting into screams and prayers of gratitude. As she later reflected, it was God’s perfect timing.
At NASA’s Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Bolden contributed to rocket technology integration and electronics. Yet, her biggest lessons weren’t only technical. She carried forward the values of respect, humility, and persistence. “Treat the garbage man the same way you treat the CEO,” she often says, believing respect trumps talent. She also emphasizes persistence, noting she isn’t more gifted than others—just someone who refused to quit. Networking, she stresses, is equally vital: “Degrees open doors, but connections walk you through them.”
Though she thrived at NASA, Bolden realized her calling stretched beyond engineering. At 24, she made the bold choice to retire and pursue her passion for helping others. She launched Aspire to FIRE Investing, LLC, a global company dedicated to financial literacy and entrepreneurial growth. Her mother had long predicted she’d be an entrepreneur, and Bolden stepped into the role with conviction. She now sees her business as legacy—using her knowledge to empower others to achieve financial freedom.
Her impact has not gone unnoticed. Bolden was honored among Savannah State University’s 40 Under 40 and recognized nationally in Yahoo Finance, CNBC, and Black Girls Rock! She received the Barack Obama Presidential Service Award and regularly speaks at conferences, including Invest Fest 2025, where she inspired audiences with her journey from Decatur to NASA to global entrepreneurship.
For Bolden, the women of Hidden Figures serve as a guiding light, reminding her that unseen contributions can still transform history. She now shares that same message: “You can be the Jackie Robinson or Rosa Parks in your lane, but you have to have the determination to do so.” Her advice to the next generation is simple: respect everyone, stay consistent, bet on yourself, and own your light so others can find their way forward.
Today, Bolden is more than an engineer, entrepreneur, or speaker—she is a model of possibility. Her path from Savannah State to NASA and into entrepreneurship proves that legacy isn’t defined by where you start but by how you move through opportunities. As she often says, her purpose is bigger than herself. If her story inspires even one person to believe in their own potential, she knows she is exactly where she is meant to be.
