Astronaut Fred Gregory and Tracy Cernan Woolie to present Astronaut Scholarship

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Thanks to a partnership with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), Tracy Cernan Woolie, daughter of Gene Cernan, and former NASA astronaut Fred Gregory, will visit the Purdue University campus this month to present the Astronaut Scholarship.

Gregory is a veteran of three spaceflights and also served as the NASA deputy administrator. His talk, titled “Influencers,” will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in Honors Hall, Honors College and Residences North, followed by a panel discussion. Other panelists will be Michelle Chutka, a lecturer in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering and director of product engineering at Cook Biotech; Hong Tan, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Lindsay Weinberg, a postdoctoral fellow in the Honors College.

The event, which is free and open to the public, also will feature the presentation of the Astronaut Scholarship to Purdue student Natalie Kadlubowski by Gregory and Tracy Cernan Woolie, in memory of her father, NASA astronaut and Purdue alumnus Gene Cernan. Purdue and ASF also will announce the addition of two additional scholarships for next year, making it the only university with three Astronaut Scholarships.

“The Astronaut Scholarship propels U.S. scholars toward the height of their abilities,” said Rosanne Altstatt, assistant dean in the Honors College and leader of the National and International Scholarships Office. “The addition of this third scholarship means more Purdue students will be effecting those changes.”

The ASF was created in 1984 by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts and is known nationwide for being among the largest merit-based monetary scholarships award to undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and math to a variety of universities. As a member institution, Purdue has historically received one scholarship annually, now sponsored by Jim Hays, but thanks to additional partnerships, Purdue students now have access to three astronaut scholarships. A second scholarship was announced in fall 2019 sponsored by Marc and Sharon Hagle. The most recent scholarship is sponsored by Kathy and Dick Covey and The Covey Love Legacy Fund. Purdue is unique among ASF member institutions in offering three Astronaut Scholarships to its students.

Students who seek assistance in applying for the Astronaut Scholarship, or other prestigious national or international awards, are invited to contact the NISO main office. 

Writer: Logan Judy, ljudy@purdue.edu

Media Contact: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu

Source: Rosanne Altstatt, altstatt@purdue.edu