Ronald Ervin McNair, Ph.D. (October 21, 1950-January 28, 1986) was an African American physicist and
NASA astronaut. He attended North Carolina A & T State University where he graduated magna cum
laude with a B.S. degree in physics in 1971. McNair then enrolled in the prestigious Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. In 1976, at the age of 26, he earned his Ph.D. in laser physics. That same year,
McNair won the AAU Karate gold medal. He would subsequently win five regional championships and
earn a fifth-degree black belt in karate.
In 1978, Dr. McNair was selected as one of 35 applicants from a pool of 10,000 for the NASA astronaut
program. Dr. McNair flew as a mission specialist on STS-41-B aboard Challenger from February 3 to 11,
1984, becoming the second African American to fly in space. Following the STS-41-B mission, Dr. McNair
was selected for STS-51-L as one of three mission specialists in a crew of seven. The mission launched on
January 28, 1986. He and the other six crew members were killed when Challenger disintegrated nine
miles above the Atlantic Ocean, 73 seconds after liftoff. Dr. McNair was posthumously awarded the
Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004, along with all crew members lost in the Challenger and
Columbia disasters.
In honor and memory of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Fund was established and dedicated to the high standards of achievement inspired by Dr. McNair’s life.
In honor and memory of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the Dr.
Ronald E. McNair Memorial Scholarship Fund was
established and dedicated to the high standards of
achievement inspired by Dr. McNair's life.
In honor and memory of Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Fund was established and dedicated to the high standards of achievement inspired by Dr. McNair’s life.
Dr. Ronald E. McNair Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Ronald E. McNair Memorial Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to
college-bound students in the metropolitan Houston area. The fund awards scholarships
in two categories:
-
The Ronald E. McNair Memorial Scholarship - A four-year scholarship awarded
to outstanding students each year. -
The Leon Flowers Scholarship - A one-time award given to college-bound
students.
Dr. Ronald E. McNair Scholars
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2023 Recipients
Ryan Sweat
Bryce Lanier
Keith Armwood
Leon Flowers Scholars
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College/University
Prairie View A&M University
Howard University
Morehouse College
-
High School
Atascocita HS
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Pro Vision Academy
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2022 Recipients
Marion Williams
Kennedy Adams
Tyler Perkins
-
College/University
Southwestern University
Texas Tech University
Texas State University
-
High School
Madison HS
Kingwood HS
Seven Lakes HS
-
2021 Recipients
Charra Bridges
Ashton Parker
-
College/University
Dillard University
Southern University
-
High School
Hightower HS
Westfield HS
-
2019 Recipients
Iman Davis
-
College/University
Howard University
-
High School
North Shore HS
2023 Recipients
Kristen Ashley
Joshua Chacko
Baile Mills
Jessica Whittaker
Darius Gardener
Priscilla Diaz
Grant Jackson
Kameron Allen
Christopher Hernandez
Jeremy Gillespie
Dobeart Williams
College/University
Prairie View A&M University
University of Texas at Austin
Southern University
Prairie View A&M University
University of Oklahoma
University of Texas at Austin
Xavier University
Louisiana State University
Texas A&M University
Sam Houston State
North American University
High School
George Ranch HS
Summer Creek HS
Langham Creek HS
Bellaire HS
Shadow Creek HS
North Shore HS
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
St. Thomas' Episcopal School
North Shore HS
Dawson HS
Foster HS
High School
Summer Creek HS
Summer Creek HS
College/University
Lone Star College
University A&M Alabama
2022 Recipients
Darrian McWilliams
Lynton Wayne Edwards
College/University
Xavier University
University of Texas at Austin
Xavier University
University of Texas
Prairie View A&M University
Loyola University (Chicago, IL)
2021 Recipients
Skye Thunder
Mason Meja
Saige McCann
Jonathan Chacko
Madysonn LaChapelle
Jillian Green
High School
Kerr HS
Brazosport HS
Shadow Creek HS
Summer Creek HS
Cypress Park HS
St. Agnes Academy
2019 Recipients
Justin Mouton
Adorah Barker
Chandler Green
Justin Harrison
Zachary Steward
Langston White
College/University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Morehouse College
North Carolina A&T University
Howard University
High School
Westbury HS
Dawson HS
Pearland HS
Jack Yates HS
Clear Falls HS