Celebrating Auburn’s Astronaut Scholars with an Astronaut

Members of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) visited Auburn University this past March to celebrate current and former Astronaut Scholars and promote the foundation’s nationally competitive scholarship program.

ASF President Colleen Middlebrooks, Corporate Development Manager Morgan Toney and retired NASA astronaut Dominic Anthony “Tony” Antonelli made their first visit to campus, joined by Jeff Haars (’85), vice president and program manager of space exploration at Amentum, Auburn University’s corporate sponsor for the Astronaut Foundation Scholarship.

The day began with “Donuts with an Astronaut,” where more than 300 engineering students attended a panel discussion featuring current Auburn Astronaut Scholar and Honors student Eirik Mulder, former Astronaut Scholar and Honors alumnus Ayden Kemp, and Antonelli. The discussion was moderated by Benjamin Fagan, assistant director for National Prestigious Scholarships at Auburn.

Panelists discussed the connection between academics and career goals, shared advice on applying for opportunities such as the Astronaut Scholarship and reflected on the scholarship’s impact on their academic and professional paths. The panel also addressed questions about undergraduate research and, in Antonelli’s case, what it is like to experience spaceflight.

"For me, participating in events like this is really what the Honors College is about,” said Kemp. “A few years ago, as an undergraduate student in the Honors College, I was the recipient of advice, guidance and motivation from those with more experience than me, and that helped put me on a trajectory to achieve my goals, including becoming an Astronaut Scholar. Now, I think of it as a privilege to be in a position to share some of my experiences and insights with the next class of Auburn students who will follow in my footsteps and accomplish even more than I have!”

The celebration continued through midday with a luncheon welcoming more than 100 students, faculty and campus partners. Mario Eden, dean of the College of Engineering, and Ed Thomas, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, offered opening remarks. Fagan and Haars also addressed attendees before Antonelli presented Mulder with a certificate commemorating his selection as an Astronaut Scholar.

"It was really meaningful to have the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation visit Auburn for the presentation,” said Mulder. “I'm excited for Auburn's future scholars and so pleased to see the incredible talent here get recognized."

The event concluded with a featured talk by Antonelli, who shared highlights from his career as a NASA astronaut.

“The day was a wonderful way to celebrate Eirik and to bring attention to this exceptional scholarship,” Fagan said. “I am grateful to our guests from ASF and Amentum for spending the day with us, as well as to everyone who helped make these events possible. I also want to thank the many students who attended—our next Astronaut Scholar may very well have been in the room.”

The day’s events were supported by the College of Engineering, the College of Science and Mathematics and Auburn University’s Honors College.

The Astronaut Scholarship provides $15,000 toward tuition and other educational expenses. Sophomores and juniors majoring in STEM fields are encouraged to apply. Competitive applicants typically demonstrate strong academic performance and experience with undergraduate research.

For more information about the Astronaut Scholarship and other national scholarship opportunities, contact Benjamin Fagan.