EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Jan. 23, 2024) – The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State College undergraduate college students have been chosen as 2023 Astronaut Students, an elite scholarship awarded yearly to the nation’s most academically achieved college students pursuing STEM (science, know-how, engineering and arithmetic) levels.
N.C. A&T is the primary traditionally Black college (HBCU) to have multiple Astronaut Scholarship out there in an software cycle.
Kristi Barnes, Maya Odom and Breyana Robinson will every obtain as much as $15,000 for eligible academic bills and lifelong engagement with astronauts, executives, STEM researchers and innovators, Astronaut Scholar alumni and the Astronaut Scholarship Basis (ASF), the nonprofit based in 1984 by surviving members of the Mercury 7 crew. In addition they acquired an all-expense paid journey to the ASF Innovator’s Week & Gala in Orlando, Florida, in August 2023 to current their analysis at a technical convention.
Barnes, Odom and Robinson – all college students within the college’s Honors Faculty – will probably be publicly acknowledged by astronaut and retired Air Drive Col. Frederick Drew Gregory throughout particular campus presentation and lecture Thursday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. in Harrison Auditorium.
The occasion is free and open to the general public. A transparent bag coverage stays in impact on the auditorium: bag(s) have to be 12” x 6” x 12” or smaller, and made from clear plastic, vinyl or PVC. Non-approved luggage aren’t permitted.
“Kristi, Maya and Breyana’s achievements are shining examples of what Aggies Do,” mentioned Tonya Smith-Jackson, Ph.D., provost and govt vice chancellor of Tutorial Affairs. “Every is poised to enhance mankind by means of their intelligence and repair to others, and I do know they’ll add nice worth to their new Astronaut Scholarship Basis group.”
Lenovo pledged assist in fall 2022 for A&T to have a second scholarship slot, pending the power of the campus’ applicant pool, and enabled the college to make historical past as the primary HBCU to have multiple Astronaut Scholarship out there in an software cycle.
Dr. Bernard Harris and the HBCU Astronaut Group made A&T’s first scholarship slot attainable in 2019.
“I’m thrilled to rejoice Kristi, Maya, and Breyana’s particular person and collective achievements in being chosen for the Astronaut Scholarship on this cycle,” mentioned Honors Faculty Dean Margaret Kanipes. “Their outstanding accomplishments exemplify the boundless potential of all Aggies, not simply Honors Aggies, and encourage us all to succeed in for the celebs.”
Barnes, a graduating senior from Columbia, Maryland, who was a NASA Goddard intern in highschool, is learning chemical engineering with an utilized arithmetic minor. She earned a cumulative 4.0 GPA and secured an internship with Abbott earlier than finishing her first semester. In July 2021, she earned the Congressional Black Caucus Basis HBCU Nationwide Racial Fairness Initiative Scholarship to pursue her curiosity in making use of her research to raised deal with diabetes and different illnesses that disproportionately have an effect on Black populations.
She co-authored the examine “Do masks matter? A examine on the effectiveness and the adherence to masks mandates in shops in Greensboro, North Carolina” in April 2022, accomplished a second internship with Abbott in summer season 2022 and interned with Eli Lilly in summer season 2023. A member of the College Choir and treasurer of the Society of Ladies Engineers, she was one in every of A&T’s Astronaut Scholarship candidates final yr.
“I wish to play an lively function in illness prevention by engineering methods that remodel medication, diet, and diagnostics, and I wish to finish Sort 2 diabetes as a result of it runs in my household,” she mentioned. “I additionally plan to mix my spirit of service with my STEM diploma to assist the development of variety within the STEM workforce.”
Odom, a graduating senior from Crofton, Maryland, is a Cheatham-White Scholar learning laptop engineering. In fall 2021, Odom was chosen as a recipient of the inaugural Numerous Internship from the Carnegie Endowment for Worldwide Peace and wrote a paper on cloud know-how. In summer season 2022, she served as a Disney Streaming Software program Engineering intern and accomplished an internship with Amazon in summer season 2023 after learning in Cyprus. She is an endorsed applicant for the 2024-25 Fulbright Program grant.
“I witnessed the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey and was reminded of how essential it’s for me to create change that can make sure the equitable distribution of know-how, sources, and infrastructure,” she mentioned. “With know-how, we are able to additionally make connections that may convey the world collectively to create a greater future, corresponding to a world the place a feminine engineer is the norm and never an oddity.”
Robinson, a third-year pupil from Garland, Texas, is a Dowdy Scholar learning laboratory animal science with a minor in chemistry. Robinson earned her Veterinary Aiding Certification by means of the Texas Veterinary Medication Affiliation in highschool, and is a Range In Veterinary Medication Coalition Scholar. She interned on the College of Utah in summer season 2022 and at Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield, Connecticut in summer season 2023; she was additionally endorsed for the 2023 Goldwater Scholarship.
“I consider that analysis is the important thing to our future, and I’m dedicated to working towards a future the place African Individuals are extra represented throughout the animal science and the analysis industries,” she mentioned.
Created in 1984, ASF awarded its first seven scholarships in honor of its founding members, the Mercury 7 Astronauts. Over the previous 39 years, greater than $8.3 million has been awarded to almost 800 college students.
“We’re excited to assist Kristi, Maya, Breyana, and the remainder of the 2023 Class of Astronaut Students of their endeavors and can’t wait to witness their achievements because the game-changers of tomorrow,” mentioned Caroline Schumacher, ASF’s president and CEO.
Barnes, Odom, and Robinson had been endorsed to use for the 2023 Astronaut Scholarship by means of NCAT Extraordinary Alternatives (NCAT EO) after campus assessment.
Their choice makes every of them one in every of 19 folks from A&T who’ve acquired the Astronaut Scholarship, bringing the whole variety of awards and renewals to 21 since A&T grew to become the primary HBCU to be an ASF Partnering Establishment in 1994.
“I’m honored to work with astounding Aggies corresponding to Kristi, Maya, and Breyana, in addition to all those that sought endorsement for the Astronaut Scholarship,” mentioned Alsace-Lorraine Gallop, A&T’s nationwide scholarships and fellowships coordinator and Fulbright Program Adviser.
“They’ve devoted themselves not solely to excellence in STEM innovation or STEM analysis, however have additionally made notable and sustained contributions to the campus and East Greensboro communities as they search to empower marginalized teams and enhance our world.”
Second- and third-year undergraduates in all eligible majors from the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Science and Expertise are urged to attend an data session Friday, Jan. 26, at 12:30 p.m. in Scholar Middle Room 342.
College students and school ought to electronic mail Gallop at acgallop@ncat.edu earlier than Feb. 5 to be taught extra in regards to the required endorsement software course of for the 2024 Astronaut Scholarship prematurely of the 5 p.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 27, campus deadline.
