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One of America's first black
astronauts, Ronald E. McNair was born to a struggling
family in racially segregated Lake City, South Carolina.
Even as a child, he refused to accept second best. A star
athlete, honor student, skillful musician and karate
champion, he set a goal of getting his Ph.D. within 10 years
of graduation from high school. After graduating magna
cum laude from the North Carolina Agricultural and
Technical State University, he attended M.I.T. and attained
his goal: a Ph.D. in physics by the age of 26. He was
conducting research in laser physics for the Hughes Research
Laboratories when he applied and was accepted to the NASA
astronaut candidate program as a mission specialist. He flew
his first mission in 1984. His remarkable life came to an
end at age 35 when the Challenger space shuttle
exploded on lift-off in January 1986, killing Dr. McNair and
his 6 colleagues.
Dr. McNair spent many hours
encouraging people from minority and low-income backgrounds
to set the highest standards for themselves. He said,
"Whether or not you reach your goals in life depends
entirely on how well you prepare for them and how badly you
want them." In his brief but brilliant career, he proved
that neither poverty nor discrimination can defeat a
determined individual. The program that carries his name
seeks to equip its students as he was equipped: with
knowledge, faith, courage, and an unshakable will to
succeed.
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