Dr. McNair was assigned as a mission specialist on STS 51-L. Dr. McNair died on January 28, 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 1 minute and 13 seconds after launch from the Kennedy Space Center. After his death, members of Congress provided funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program to encourage minority, low-income and first generation college students to expand their educational opportunities and pursue graduate studies.
This program is dedicated to the high standards of achievement inspired by Dr. McNair’s life. In his brief but brilliant career, he proved that neither poverty nor discrimination could 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.