From Virgin Galactic

New Mexico State University’s Atomic Aggies at this year’s Spaceport America Cup. Courtesy Photo.

Galactic Unite – Virgin Galactic’s outreach initiative – has partnered with Ultimate Software to offer a new STEM scholarship for students at New Mexico State University.

The scholarship has been created through a shared passion to drive positive change for young people through harnessing the power of space and will launch in the fall of 2019. It will see five students awarded a one-year-long scholarship that includes 12 months mentoring with a Virgin Galactic team member. It will be granted to undergraduate students studying a degree in engineering at NMSU College of Engineering.

NMSU has a large number of students pursuing careers in STEM industries and is home to the Atomic Aggies Club, a student organization enthusiastic about high-powered model rockets and practice safe rocketry at the intercollegiate engineering competition.

Virgin Galactic is launching this scholarship as it continues its relocation from Mojave, California to its commercial headquarters at Spaceport America, New Mexico.

The ‘Gateway to Space’ building will be the point of departure to, and return from, space for Future Astronauts and is now operationally ready. Last week the communal Gaia Lounge area, designed for use by Virgin Galactic customers and their families, was unveiled alongside the Cirrus spaceflight operations floor.

There are now 109 Virgin Galactic team members based in New Mexico preparing the Gateway to Space for commercial service, with the rest set to join when SpaceShipTwo moves across from Mojave.

George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic, said, “New Mexico has played a pivotal role in the history of human space exploration. We’re delighted to be supporting New Mexico’s future leaders in space through this scholarship while we launch the world’s first commercial spaceline from the state at the same time.”

“We welcome the strong support by Virgin Galactic of NMSU as a whole and including financial aid for our students. Their continued generosity is noteworthy and we look forward to expanding the partnership across multiple colleges over the months and years ahead,” said New Mexico State Chancellor Dan Arvizu.

Original Post: Galactic Unite Launch STEM Scholarship at New Mexico State University