SAIC Supports Astronaut Scholarships

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) is proud to recognize the Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as our largest corporate sponsor of the Astronaut Scholarship for 2022 and thank SAIC for their continued partnership and the support they provide to the very best and brightest students in STEM. This year, eight scholarships will be awarded to Astronaut Scholars from seven different universities including Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Morgan State, University of Central Florida, University of Southern California, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech.

SAIC joined the ASF family in 2017 as a corporate sponsor for Innovators Week & Gala, an event that brings together young exceptional minds in STEM, corporations who are making an impact in STEM industries, and some of America's pioneering astronauts. This event was created to celebrate the newest class of Astronaut Scholars and award the Neil ArmstrongTM Award of Excellence to a nominated recipient. SAIC not only sponsors the event but plays a key role in this four-day program. From leading networking sessions to in-depth discussions on mentorship, SAIC helps Astronaut Scholars prepare for the workforce, develop key networking skills, and build relationships for the future.

SAIC continues to grow their partnership with ASF each year. In addition to event sponsorship, SAIC also supports individual Astronaut Scholars at multiple universities. With this year's support, 15 Astronaut Scholars will have benefited from the impact of a Scholarship Sponsorship by SAIC.

"SAIC is a tremendous partner to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and a leading example of how connected our corporate partners can be to our mission and our Astronaut Scholars," said Caroline Schumacher, president, and CEO of the Foundation. "ASF is grateful and honored to work with the SAIC team and receive this generous contribution."

Annually, approximately 10 employees from SAIC are paired with an Astronaut Scholar to share career advice and valuable insight into the transition to the post-college world and career advancement. As a mentor, SAIC is creating life-changing relationships with Astronaut Scholars as they build their career networks, set their paths for the future, and develop skills to become better professionals and leaders.

"The future of SAIC depends on students who are interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math," stated David Ray, senior vice president of Space at SAIC. "That is one of many reasons we're thrilled to serve as the largest corporate sponsor of the Astronaut Scholarship for 2022. Mentorship programs, similar to this, were pivotal in my career growth and I look forward to seeing great things come out of this year's class."

The Astronaut Scholarship provides support and benefits well into the scholar's career and beyond. They receive lasting benefits for a lifetime all thanks to the continued support of companies like SAIC.

It is an honor to recognize and thank SAIC for their commitment to ASF and future Astronaut Scholars. We look forward to working together even more to inspire students to pursue their dreams and discover new breakthroughs in STEM.