For over 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 networking with astronauts, C-suite level executives and industry leaders to help advance their careers.
Started over 40 years ago by six of the surviving Mercury 7 Astronauts along with Berry Grissom, William Douglas and Henri Landwirth, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has awarded over $10 million in scholarships to over 850 students.
What makes this scholarship truly special is its mentorship component: every Astronaut Scholar is paired with a mentor who guides their academic and professional growth. Now, in a full-circle moment, former Astronaut Scholars who once benefited from this mentorship are paying it forward as mentors themselves.
Tomas Collado is a 2024 Astronaut Scholar from Washington University in St. Louis studying mechanical engineering. His mentor Adero Paige is a 2004 Astronaut Scholar Alum who now 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.
Connect with The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation:
- Website: astronautscholarship.org
- YouTube: @astroscholarfdn
- Instagram: @astronautscholarfdn
- Facebook: @AstroScholarFdn
- LinkedIn: astronaut-scholarship-foundation
Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast… Connect with him:
- Website: dailystem.com
- Twitter/X: @dailystem
- Instagram: @dailystem
- YouTube: @dailystem
Get Chris’s book Daily STEM on Amazon
