CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Curtis Brown  Laura Cutchens August 23, 2017 Chairman Execu�ve Vice President External Affairs Lisa Schott  Vice Chairman Astronaut Scholarship Founda�on

Michael Neukamm Office: 407-403-5907 Secretary Vincent Cimino Cell: 407-474-3196 Treasurer Email: [email protected] Kevin Chilton  Tammy Sudler President & CEO M���������� S���� U��������� A���� �� L��� �� A�������� S���������� P������ James Lovell  Chairman Emeritus Students now eligible for $10,000 scholarships partly funded by living astronauts

Scott Altman  John Blaha  ORLANDO – Mississippi State University will join 35 other top research universi�es na�onwide, Larry Bradley  Daniel Brandenstein  including MIT and Georgia Tech, as the newest par�cipant in the Astronaut Scholarship Founda�on’s Richard Covey  pres�gious, merit-based scholarship worth $10,000 each to outstanding college juniors and seniors Charles Duke  Chris Ferguson  and par�ally supported by living astronauts of America’s storied space programs, officials Fred Gregory  announced Wednesday. Joseph Han  Jeffrey Hoffman  Charles Precourt  Brewster Shaw  Established in 1984 by six surviving members of Project Mercury astronauts who partook in the first Kathryn Thornton  human spaceflight program of the United States from 1958 through 1963, the scholarships intend to Al Worden  reward top college students with majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Laura Shepard-Churchley Chairman “We are pleased to welcome Mississippi State University into the Astronaut Scholarship Program,” Andrew Allen  said ASF Board Chairman Curt Brown, an astronaut and veteran of six space flights. “Its commitment Rick Armstrong Ann Brown to leadership in science and technology is in keeping with the vision of American’s space pioneers Ed Buckbee who blazed a trail for the United States and captured the imagina�on of the world. By par�cipa�ng Patricia Carpenter Suzi Cooper in this effort, Mississippi State will help the U.S. maintain its leading edge by recognizing and Richard Garriott rewarding their best STEM students.” Robert “Hoot” Gibson  Rebecca Griffin Seth Jonas  Jarret Lafleur  Mississippi State was one of five universi�es that were ve�ed and added to the program in August James Long due to the significant research opportuni�es available for undergraduate students. The other James Mault Joseph Mayer universi�es included the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Massachuse�s, Colora- Lawrence McGlynn do State University, and Auburn University. Harvey Miller Dirk Raemdonck Thomas Stafford  Next month, astronaut Mike Collins, who served as pilot for the Gemini X mission in 1966 and Carol Fitzgerald Tyler command module pilot for Apollo 11 in 1969, will be the keynote speaker at the Innovators Gala to HONORARY TRUSTEES LeVar Burton be held Sept. 16 in Washington DC. The event will introduce the 45 members of the 2017-2018 Tom Hanks Astronaut Scholar class and the first recipient of the Neil ArmstrongTM Award of Excellence.  Henri Landwirth Armstrong passed away in December 2016.

Founder  Based in Orlando, the Astronaut Scholarship Founda�on annually funds up to $10,000 scholarships Astronaut  Scholar  for 50 students, as well as has a life-long rela�onship with each recipient providing them with many programs and opportuni�es. The founda�on has the support of astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shu�le and Space Sta�on programs who par�cipate in this educa�on- al effort. ASF also accepts other contribu�ons.

-30- EDUCATION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF KNOWLEDGE 651 Danville Drive, Suite 101 | Orlando, FL 32825 | 407-362-7900 [email protected] | www.astronautscholarship.org