The Astronaut Scholarship Program

Syracuse University juniors, seniors, or graduate students interested in careers in science and engineering are invited to apply for an Astronaut Foundation Scholarship.

More than 50 astronauts are helping the United States retain its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major.

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation was established originally in 1984 as the Mercury Seven Foundation by the six surviving members of America's original Mercury Seven astronauts, Mrs. Betty Grissom, widow of the seventh, Virgil (Gus) Grissom, William Douglas, M.D., the Project Mercury flight surgeon, and Henri Landwirth, an Orlando businessman and friend of the astronauts. The founding astronauts were Malcolm Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Walter M. Schirra, the late Alan B. Shepard Jr. and the late Donald K. (Deke) Slayton. Currently, Skylab/Space Shuttle astronaut Owen Garriott is Chairman of the foundation's Board of Directors.

The original Mercury Seven Foundation began on a shoestring, and the first seven scholarships, at $1,000 each, were awarded in 1986. As more money was raised the amount and number increased gradually. The foundation now awards annually 18 scholarships each worth $10,000, for a total of $180,000. To date, the foundation has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to 196 deserving students. The foundation is building a scholarship fund for perpetuity. The foundation raises money for scholarships for upper level college students and those pursuing masters or doctorates in the fields of science and engineering. Scholarship money is raised through astronaut appearances, fund-raising events, corporate and individual donations, and memberships. In 1995, with the realization that the five remaining Mercury astronauts would not be able to raise scholarship funds forever, the Board of Directors voted to broaden the membership and to change the name to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. More than 50 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle programs are now members helping with the education effort.

Syracuse University is one of a select number of Universities invited to nominate two applicants for this scholarship.

For more information, Click Here.

Interested students should contact:

Soling Program
305 Tolley Building
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244-1100

Benjamin Zender
Soling Office Coordinator
Phone: 315-443-3133
Fax: 315-443-8093 att: Soling Program
eMail-brzender@syr.edu