Astronaut urges ChAMP students to soar

CHICAGO Defender, April 28, 1997

by Latasha J. Bradley

Web format by Prof. Johnson

In the past many African Americans were not permitted to sit in the front of the bus. Now they're making history riding in space shuttles.

Before his training as an astronaut in December 1994, Mjr. Michael Anderson served as an aircraft commander and pilot instructor in the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

He earned his bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy from the University of Washington and master's in physics from Creighton University and was awarded the USAF Meritorious Service Medal and the USAF Achievement Medal.

This past weekend Anderson took time from his busy schedule to encourage 150 undergraduate minorities in the ChAMP program to enter careers in the sciences.

"It kind of interested me because ChAMP is trying to increase the number of minority students majoring in engineering and science," Anderson said.

"When I was a physics major at the University of Washington... I think I was the only African American physics major at that University ...

I can identify with the need to increase the number of minority students in the technologies, so that's something that just means a lot to me," Anderson added.

Anderson is still in the Air Force on active duty in his 14th year and is temporarily assigned to NASA for seven years to work as an astronaut.

Next January, Anderson is scheduled to shuttle to the Russian MIR space station.

"Over the last year we've been sharing that space station with them and we've always had one American astronaut up there," Anderson said.

"Every three or four months, we launch a space station up to dock with the MIR station to bring extra supplies and also exchange our astronauts.

"We'll also be bringing down some experimental packages that our astronauts have been doing while they've been up there. We'll be docked for about five days.

Major Michael Anderson visits Chicago to speak to undergraduate minorities about careers in math and science. This past weekend, Anderson took time from his busy schedule to encoura 150 college students in the ChAMP program to enter careers in the sciences. "It kind of interested me, because ChAMP is trying to increase the number of minority students majoring in engineering and science," Anderson said. He is still in the Air Force on active duty in his 14th year and is temporarily assigned to NASA for seven years to work as an astronaut. Next January Anderson is scheduled to shuttle to the Russian MIR space station.

Dr. Marian Wilson-Comer, executive director of CHAMP, welcomes Major Michael Anderson to Chicago Friday.

"This will be the eighth MIR mission and there's only one other mission scheduled.

After that,America's participation in the MIR program will be coming to an end as we prepare to begin the construction for an international space station," he added.

Anderson said youths lack the exposure in math and science needed to keep them involved in the areas. "It's really a matter of getting the opportunities and the exposure that it takes to develop a background in science and mathematics," Anderson said.

"I think that any child who is exposed to science and math would have a natural curiosity.

Unfortunately we have an education system today that's

dealing with so many different problems, I don't think it's always effective in bringing science and math to the students in a way that will make them interested in science and math."

Anderson said his success comes from taking the risk to act on his dream.

"I was scared. Everyone is scared," Anderson said.

"I think the biggest thing that holds a lot of people back is the fear pof taking that first step to go out and take the challenge. " I really want to encourage kids to decide what it is they want to do and figure out the best way to achieve that and then go out there and take the chance and try to do it."

[2nd ChAMP UGR] [AMPUGR] [AMP] [AMP News] [Prof. Johnson] [News]