STEM Everyday

STEM Everyday #294 | Mentoring | feat. Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

• Chris Woods (DailySTEM)

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For more than 40 years, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) has supported the brightest minds in STEM, with its Astronaut Scholars making groundbreaking contributions—from launching payloads into space to pioneering agricultural innovations and advancing congenital heart disease research. The prestigious Astronaut Scholarship is known nationwide for being among the largest merit-based monetary scholarships awarded to college level STEM juniors and seniors. ASF has a life-long relationship with each Astronaut Scholar and provides them with mentors, professional and personal development and opportunities to network with astronauts, C-suite level executives and industry leaders to help advance their careers.

Established in 1984 by six of the surviving Mercury 7 Astronauts along with Betty Grissom, William Douglas and Henri Landwirth, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has awarded over $10 million in scholarships to more than 850 students. 

What makes this scholarship truly special is its mentorship component: every Astronaut Scholar is paired with a mentor who helps to guide their academic journey and professional growth. Now, former Astronaut Scholars who once benefited from this mentorship are paying it forward as mentors themselves.

Tomas Collado is a 2024 Astronaut Scholar and Mechanical Engineering major from Washington University in St. Louis. His mentor, Adero Paige, is a 2004 Astronaut Scholar Alum who also serves on ASF’s Board of Directors. Their stories illustrate the lasting impact of mentorship and the power of investing in the next generation of STEM leaders. 

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