Thread by @scipolnetwork

Astronaut, black belt, and saxophonist, Ronald E. McNair served as inspiration and patron to thousands of first-generation students. We'll be diving in on his history and his namesake TRIO postbaccalaureate program.

More in thread⬇️ #BHM #firstgen #TRIOWorks /1

Ronald Erwin McNair was born 10/21/1950 in the small town of Lake City, SC. Even at an early age, he valued his education. Carl McNair recalled when his brother refused to leave the segregated library, obstinate in his pursuit of knowledge. /2

The story even inspired a children’s book, and decades later, the library is now named after him. /3

Ronald McNair's meteoric rise began as the valedictorian of Carver High School in 1967. By 1971, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from #HBCU NC A&T State University (@nctsuaggies) with a BS in Physics, before pursuing his PhD in Laser Physics from @MIT. /4

Along the way, he earned numerous accolades, including being a @NATO Fellow (1975) and @NASEMFordFoundation! (1971-1974). (Check out yesterday’s thread on the Ford Foundation 👀) /5

https://twitter.com/scipolnetwork/status/1363914458515443712

Here are some fun facts about McNair: He also earned his sixth degree black belt in karate, wrote a paper on it (blackhistory.mit.edu/index.php/publ…), and learned the saxophone. /6

His accomplishments and potential were recognized in 1978, as McNair was chosen to join the Space Shuttle Program, serving his first mission on Feb 3rd, 1984. He would become one of the first Black people in space alongside his fellow astronauts Guion Bluford and Fred Gregory. /7

On 01/28/1986, McNair tragically served his final mission on the US Challenger Mission (crew pic). Congress honored his legacy in 1989 by creating the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, dedicated to lifting underrepresented voices in #STEM + promoting their pursuit of #GradEd /8

Beginning with 14 schools, the McNair scholarship has since grown to over 151 institutions across the US and PR, helping thousands of students every year. It’s now managed by the @usedgov ’s TRIO program, a collection of minority-serving programs dedicated to higher ed. /9

Ronald E. McNair’s legacy will always be remembered in the minds his memory influenced. To learn more about the #McNair Scholars Program, check their website: mcnairscholars.com/about/ #TRiOWorks /10

If you or someone you know is alumni of the McNair program, feel free to give them a shout out! 🙂/end