NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has pledged $500,000 of his own money to a foundation supporting students at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, or ASF, awards scholarships to rising juniors and senior college students in science, technology, engineering and math, and serves as a network for mentorships and career development. Scholarships can reach up to $15,000 per scholar.
Isaacman said in a prepared statement that he’s excited to champion “students who take
risks, tackle hard problems and pursue bold ideas. … These students are the Artemis generation, and their potential is limitless.”
CEO Colleen Middlebrooks said this donation is the largest the nonprofit foundation has ever seen and it validates the work ASF does to help STEM students.
“The single best thing that can happen for ASF is for someone to step forward and endow a scholar award at a school, because then we never have to fundraise for it again, " Middlebrooks said. “We just draw the money off of that large amount, and we can support scholars forever at that school.“
ASF was founded by six of the original Mercury 7 astronauts back in 1984 to help the U.S. maintain a strong role in science and technology leadership. Two scholars from the organization became astronauts, including Christina Koch, who flew around the moon on the Artemis II mission.
“We’re 42 years old, founded on the premise of supporting America's best and brightest in STEM,” Middlebrooks said. “The name is misleading because it's “Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.” I like to say founded by astronauts and fueled by astronauts, but not necessarily creating a bunch of astronauts.”
ASF has two other endowed scholarships, including the Lovell family at Rice and Charlie and Dottie Duke at Tarleton State University.
Middlebrooks explained that Isaacman is a 2011 graduate of Embry Riddle, so his five-year pledge reflects his support for the foundation and his Alma Mater.
“I hope that his gift encourages others to follow his lead and support students in STEM,” Middlebrooks said. “My personal goal would be that all 56 university partners have an endowed scholarship at their university.”
With various networks, mentorship and educational opportunities, Middlebrooks said the foundation connects scholars with opportunities for life.
“We provide professional development opportunities,” Middlebrooks said. “Our scholars speak at different space centers across the United States conferences. They sit on panels. We bring them back to help us volunteer at the Astronaut Hall of Fame and at our Innovators Symposium. … Throughout their life, they can reach back at any point if they're working on a patent or any of those things, or just maybe they're moving into a leadership role within their company. They can still get a mentor as they go through their career.”
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University is a financial sponsor of Central Florida public media but has no editorial control over our news coverage.
