Curt Brown, retired U.S. Air Force colonel and six-time space shuttle veteran, visited campus Wednesday [March 4] to help celebrate Mississippi State Astronaut Scholars James “Brittin” Perdue and Spencer Lile.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation was founded in 1984 by six of the surviving Mercury 7 astronauts to ensure the U.S. maintained its stronghold in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. NASA astronauts continue to support the foundation’s mission of STEM education and networking, awarding more than $10 million in scholarships to more than 900 students since its inception. The scholarships provide up to $15,000 each, along with a lifelong affiliation with ASF.
The current cohort includes 74 students from 51 different universities, including Lile of Benton, Arkansas, and James “Brittin” Perdue of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Announced last year as MSU’s Astronaut Scholars, Lile and Perdue joined Brown during a special campus recognition ceremony.
Addressing students and guests, Brown described the foundation as more than a scholarship program, calling it a launchpad “not just for careers, but bold ideas, breakthrough discoveries and lifelong connections.”
Brown reflected on his distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force and as a NASA astronaut, including his role as shuttle commander with STS-95 alongside NASA legend John Glenn. He told attendees that Lile and Perdue join the ranks of an exceptional community of scholars and encouraged both students as they continue their academic journeys.
“Just like the alumni of MSU, our astronaut scholars are a part of our family,” Brown said. “…Whatever dream you have, keep it at the forefront. If anything is worth doing, put your heart into it. Don’t let anyone beat you because they outworked you.”
Lile and Perdue, both students in MSU’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, also are Barry Goldwater Scholars.
Lile is a physics and biomedical engineering major concentrating in pre-med. Perdue is an electrical engineering major and plans to pursue a doctoral degree.