Astronauts Help Elite Students Take "Giant Leap" in Education
Kennedy Space Center, FL — Space explorers from the early days of NASA through the Space Shuttle program are helping America rocket into the future by providing scholarships for outstanding students. In 2011, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) is giving more than any previous year, awarding 26 scholarships totaling $260,000 to exceptional college students around the country.
The Astronaut Scholarship is the largest monetary award given in the United States to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) college students based solely on merit. A scholarship committee comprised of academic professionals, astronauts and previous Astronaut Scholarship recipients reviewed top candidates from each of the Foundation's institutional partners. In order to be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens, attending one of the institutions ASF supports, entering their junior or senior year in a STEM field and be nominated by a professor.
The Foundation was created in 1984 by the six surviving members of America's Mercury 7 astronauts as a way to leave a lasting legacy for America's future scientists and engineers. What began as seven $1,000 scholarships in ASF's first year has now flourished to twenty-six $10,000 annual awards. Astronauts from every phase of American space exploration now participate in this endeavor, supporting over 300 students along the way.
These high-achieving students exhibit strong passion and phenomenal performance in their field, as well as intellectual daring and a genuine desire to positively change the world around them, both in and out of the classroom.
"Our goal is to find the very best and brightest students our nation has to offer," said Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke. "We look not only for academic success, but for that rare spark that drives these scholars to challenge the world around them, just as we astronauts challenged ourselves."
The Foundation truly delivers on those words. Members of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame will touch down at colleges and universities across the nation this fall to personally present each student with an oversized scholarship check on behalf of ASF, during a public ceremony honoring them for their distinguished performance and dedication to their college education.
The 2011-2012 Astronaut Scholars are:
- Clemson University physics major Patrick Roy Johnson of Clemson, SC
- Georgia Institute of Technology computer science major Joy Adowaa Buolamwini of Memphis, TN
- Harvey Mudd College physics major Paul Leslie Riggins of Whittier, CA
- Miami University zoology and French double major Zoe Ciambro Hesp of Centerville, OH
- North Carolina State University chemical engineering major Hannah Renee Reese of Boone, NC
- North Dakota State University physics and mathematics double major Cody R. Gette of Devils Lake, ND
- Pennsylvania State University physics and astrophysics double major Patrick Breysse of Glen Arm, MD
- Purdue University atmospheric science major Kandace Kaye Kiefer of Decatur, IN
- Syracuse University physics and mathematics double major Ryan Paul Badman of Jordan, NY
- Texas A&M University biochemistry and genetics double major Matthew Ellis Grunewald of Madison, MS
- Tufts University mathematics major Sarah Margaret Cannon of Atkinson, NH
- University of Arizona molecular and cellular biology major Cameron Paul Upchurch of Scottsdale, AZ
- University of Central Florida electrical engineering major Whitney Lauren Keith of Lake Alfred, FL
- University of Colorado molecular, cellular and developmental biology and biochemistry double major Minh Trong Than of Westminster, CO
- University of Kentucky agricultural biotechnology and biology double major Taylor Dianne Lloyd of Union, KY
- University of Michigan mathematics major Alexander James Carney of Midland, MI
- University of Minnesota mechanical major Brett Cullen Neubauer of Apple Valley, MN and aerospace engineering major Samuel Steven Schreiner of Lino Lakes, MN
- University of Oklahoma computer engineering major Bradley Lance Pirtle of Kingfisher, OK
- University of Rochester computer science, mathematics and linguistics multiple major Halley Jocelyn Orshan of Millington, NJ
- University of Southern California physics and mathematics double major Dinah Simone Diller Bouma of Genthod, Switzerland
- University of Texas at Austin computer science major Benjamin Adam Braun of Friendswood, TX
- University of Virginia biomedical engineering major Hannah Ruth Brittany Meredith of Richmond, VA
- University of Washington physics and electrical engineering double major Erik Edward Josberger of Gig Harbor, WA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineering major Anthony James Sprangers of Appleton, WI
- Washington University Mechanical chemistry major Martin Yu Fan of Plano, TX
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in these fields. ASF has awarded $3 million to deserving students nationwide. Today, more than 80 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs have joined in this effort. For more information, call 321-455-7013 or log on to www.AstronautScholarship.org.
Editor's note: Astronaut interviews available upon request