Carl McNair, the brother of the late astronaut Ronald E. McNair, will speak at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, as part of the University of Rochester's celebration of Black History Month. His talk will focus on his brother's legacy as a model for young people.
The event is sponsored by the McNair Program, the Black Student Union, and the College Diversity Roundtable. It is free and open to the public.
McNair is the president of a foundation dedicated to implementing education programs that motivate and encourage young people toward academic excellence in the sciences. Ronald McNair, a physicist and the second African American to fly in space, realized his dream of becoming an astronaut, then flew on his first mission in 1984. On Jan. 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch and killed McNair and six other crew members.
After the disaster, Congress approved funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program to increase the number of low-income, first-generation and underrepresented minority college students who pursue and complete the doctoral degree. At the University of Rochester, the McNair Program is part of the College.
Tomorrow's event will be held in room 203 of Meliora Hall on the University's River Campus. For more information, contact the McNair Program at (585) 275-7512.