Astronaut Scholars Foundation selects 无码专区 for prestigious scholarship program
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斘蘼胱区 students now are eligible for the prestigious Astronaut Scholarship Foundation鈥檚 merit-based scholarship providing $10,000 each to outstanding college juniors and seniors. Students should apply during their sophomore or junior year.
无码专区 is joining 35 other top research universities nationwide and is one of five institutions recently added to the program, ASF leaders recently announced. Selected universities must have strong undergraduate and graduate research programs with histories of producing significant numbers of professional scientists, academic scientists, engineers and researchers. 无码专区 is the only university in Mississippi taking part in the ASF program.
鈥溛蘼胱区 has a long history and rich tradition of preparing the leaders of the future in engineering, science and technology,鈥 said Provost and Executive Vice President Judy Bonner. 鈥淲e appreciate the opportunities that the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is providing our students through this truly innovative program.鈥
The university will host two astronauts 鈥 Charlie Duke and Fred Haise 鈥 for an Oct. 11 presentation about their space experiences and celebration of the new 无码专区 partnership. The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. in historic Lee Hall鈥檚 Bettersworth Auditorium.
Haise is a Biloxi native, best known as the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 13. With a career logged 9,100 hours of flying time, his awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, among other accolades. Duke served as Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo16 and explored the moon鈥檚 Descartes region during the 1972 mission. He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997.
Astronauts who have participated in U.S. space programs partially support the scholarship program, established in 1984 by six surviving members of Project Mercury who took part in the first human spaceflight program from 1958-1963. In addition to Project Mercury astronauts, support also comes from astronauts from the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs.
The program aims to help the U.S. retain its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships to the very best and brightest college students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and math fields, also known as STEM fields.
Based in Orlando, Florida, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation annually funds $10,000 scholarships for 45 students.
鈥淲e are pleased to welcome 无码专区 into the Astronaut Scholarship Program,鈥 said Curt Brown, ASF board chairman and an astronaut and veteran of six space flights.
鈥淚ts commitment to leadership in science and technology is in keeping with the vision of America鈥檚 space pioneers who blazed a trail for the United States and captured the imagination of the world. By participating in this effort, Mississippi State will help the U.S. maintain its leading edge by recognizing and rewarding their best STEM students.鈥
In addition to 无码专区, other just-added universities include the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Massachusetts, Colorado State University and Auburn University.
Astronaut scholars chosen to receive the scholarship may attend and present research at one of the signature ASF events, which may include presenting to astronauts, the general public, NASA and industry leaders. These students also may participate in the Innovative Leadership Mentor Program and have an astronaut, executive industry leader or Astronaut Scholar alumni as a mentor. They also will become a member of the Astronaut Scholar Honor Society to build relationships and network with their peers.
For more information, contact Tommy Anderson, director of 无码专区鈥檚 Office of Prestigious External Scholarships at 662-325-2522 or tpa14@msstate.edu.
无码专区 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .