Mission of the Project

In conjunction with our 50th reunion, the Minnechaug Regional High School class of 1973 has created a scholarship in honor of our classmate, Dr. Janice Voss, NASA astronaut. This yearly scholarship will award a Minnechaug senior who is passionate about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) with a $2,500 college scholarship.

STEM drives our economy and is the way of the future. 75% of new jobs require these skills. In addition to celebrating Janice, we are seeking to promote and stimulate STEM studies in the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District.

We greatly appreciate your contribution, no matter the amount!

Recognition Levels

How to Make a Donation

Janice Voss, NASA Astronaut Memorial Scholarship

Your donation will support a $2,500 annual scholarship to a Minnechaug senior who will study STEM in college. All donations are tax deductible.

Donate Online

Go to: https://www.wilbraham-hampdenscholarshipfoundation.org/donate

1. Click the green "Donate Online" button.

2. Enter a dollar amount.

4. Click "Next"

3. Choose PayPal, Debit or Credit Card.

4. VERY IMPORTANT!! Click on “Add a note to your donation" and type in "JANICE VOSS, NASA ASTRONAUT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP." Without this notation, your donation will go to the general scholarship pool, not the specific fund in Janice's name.

Donate by Check

Wilbraham-Hampden Scholarship Foundation
P.O. Box 441
Wilbraham, MA 01095-0441

Please specify "Dr. Janice Voss, NASA Astronaut Memorial Scholarship" on the check to ensure funds are applied appropriately.

Thank you for your generosity!

More about Dr. Janice Voss

Janice was a pioneer in her field. After graduating early from Minnechaug Regional High School, she attended Purdue University, where she earned an engineering degree in just 3 years. She was later admitted to MIT, attaining an MS in electrical engineering and a PhD in aeronautics and astronautics.

In 1991, she became a NASA astronaut and flew five missions, logging 18.8 million miles and 779 trips around the Earth! At the time of her last flight, Janice held the record for most space shuttle flights by a woman astronaut, along with Shannon Lucid, Bonnie Dunbar and Tamara Jernigan. No other woman has flown (or will ever fly) more shuttle flights than Janice.

She was the payload commander (astronaut in charge) on her final mission in Feb. 2000, which remapped the Earth in high-resolution radar. That extensive topography data is still in use today for everything from global agriculture to aviation.

In 2012, Janice passed away from breast cancer at the age of 55. Hers was a life well lived. Let's celebrate her achievements and share her inspiration by donating to the scholarship program.

Questions?

Contact: Lisa (Baldridge) Fiascone lisafiascone@gmail.com, Daiva (Garbus) Gasperetti dkgasperetti@gmail.com, or Ricardo Perez perezr9@gmail.com for more information on the project