Scholarship Group: Endowed

Megan H. Williams, Esq., aged 35 of Nashville, Tenn, lost a rapid and brutal battle against cancer on March 29, 2021. Born in Madison, Tenn. to Dr. Ken and Juanita Williams, after big sister Jamie and before little brother Ben, she lived a life as the opposite of a typical middle child. She always strove to stand out. From the start, Megan chose adventure over the mundane. Attending Space Camp® as a child, she dreamed of reaching the stars. Life took her in a different direction to attend DePaul University in Chicago and Florida Coastal School of Law. She passed the Tennessee Bar in 2011, started her own law firm in 2012, and transitioned to Cordell and Cordell in 2014. In 2016 she was named a Top 40 under 40 member of the National Advocates. However, her main passion in life was adventure. After traveling to most of the U.S., Europe, China, and UAE with her family, she ventured out on her own to Cambodia, Vietnam, Iceland, and other parts of the world. She fearlessly jumped from a plane and swam with sharks. As a tribute to her adventurous life and because her childhood dream was to go to space, a portion of her remains will have an Earth Orbit Space flight so that every time those who survive her look up, they will see her in the stars.

Christopher was born August 25, 1979 in New Haven, Connecticut. When he was 15 months old, his father died after a long illness. The family, including his mother and older sister, moved to Nashville, Tennessee so his mother could finish college. Chris was never one to embrace moving and change. Upon his mom’s graduation, the family became a military family, moving to Jacksonville, Arkansas. Chris lived in Burkburnett, Texas when he attended Space Camp in 1989. The family moved to Anchorage, Alaska and then to Las Vegas, Nevada. Chris graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1997 with high honors, and he was awarded the United States Air Force Math and Science award along with other state and national honors. Initially, college was not an interest. But after years of working in the world of computer science, for Verizon and CDK Global, he graduated from Western Governors’ University with a Bachelor of Science in April 2021. Christopher died of unknown causes in July 2021.

Dr. Stuhlinger was a member of the Rocket Team that was brought from Germany to Ft. Bliss, TX, after World War II, and then to Huntsville, AL in 1950. Dr. Stuhlinger became chief scientist at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. He met and married Irmgard during a vacation to Germany in 1950, and she arrived in Huntsville later that year. During their many decades of residence in Huntsville, Ernst and Irmgard often came into contact with teachers and educators at space-related events, and they were always impressed by the teachers’ interest and enthusiasm in learning more about the space program. These positive and direct contacts with the teachers would have certainly led to the Stuhlingers’ full endorsement and support of this scholarship. Both Ernst and Irmgard came from educator families (Ernst lectured at UAH for some time in the 80s), and both enjoyed many activities related to science and nature. They both pursued a life-long admiration and support for the arts. Ernst passed away in 2008, and Irmgard passed in 2018.

STEAM teachers and educators from all over the world represent an excellent mechanism for understanding and conveying space-related topics to their students. The Stuhlinger family’s hope is that the Space Academy experience will allow the educators to pass on their excitement and inspire their students for many years to come.

Walt Powell was an extraordinary individual who left an indelible mark on the lives of everyone he touched in his short 33 years of life. Born in Tyler, Texas, the only child of Walter Connally and Bolivia Powell, he approached life with an intensity that was inspiring and infectious. Walt had a way of making you want to learn, explore, and experience new things alongside him. His passion was contagious, and those who were lucky enough to be around him couldn’t help but be drawn into his orbit.

His childhood pursuits included youth choir, acting in civic theater productions, and was a skilled magician and ventriloquist. In 1991 he attended Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, winning the coveted and prestigious Right Stuff award. He also attended Space Academy in 1993. His talents included being a fearless black diamond skier, an avid fly fisherman, a skilled marksman, and a lifelong animal lover that showed dogs in Conformation and Junior Showmanship.

He discovered a passion for craft beer and brought to life the only first-run cinema microbrewery in the world, Flix Brewhouse, helping to make it hugely successful. He was a founder and administrator for Rate Beer, an internet community of lovers and critics of fine beer.

Walt’s sense of humor was legendary. Whether he was regaling you with stories of his latest adventure or simply sharing a laugh, Walt had a way of making you feel valued. A force of nature, a whirlwind of curiosity, creativity, and passion, he is greatly missed.

Today the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is proud to have trainees learning in the Walt Powell Collaboration Zone in the Space Camp Operations Center.

Polly T. Lucas was a double major in chemistry and mathematics, a professional educator early in her life, and maintained a lifelong interest in stimulating rising generations in the study of science disciplines. Her husband, Dr. William “Bill” Lucas says, “I could think of no better way to honor her memory nor to continue her interest in influencing young minds to the study of science and technology, than by participating in the continuing education of teachers through an endowed Space Academy for Educators scholarship.”

Lionel Jude Clifton was a joyful, endlessly curious four-year-old from Houston who loved to stargaze and dreamed of space travel. He could recite fact after fact about rockets, satellites, and Pluto, and an ordinary cardboard box could become a spaceship in his hands. Whether building a Lego robot, discovering answers through math, or exploring the outdoors, Lionel approached life with wonder and always had another question.

Lionel didn’t believe in either/or. As he often said, “both is always a good choice”, and fittingly, his favorite color was rainbow. His infectious laugh, constant smile, and keen sense of humor brought joy to everyone around him. Just as remarkable as his curiosity was his generous heart. He was quick to help, eager to share, and ready with an encouraging word or one of his all-encompassing hugs.

This scholarship honors Lionel’s love of space, his eagerness to learn, and the kindness he shared so freely. By helping young explorers experience Space Camp, his family hopes to share some of the wonder that filled his world and nurture the same spirit of curiosity and discovery that made Lionel so uniquely himself.

Born February 23, 2021 in San Francisco, Ayden lived a brief but dazzling four and half years. He was a thinker. He loved school, and often immersed himself in reading, painting, or doing workbooks. He was a giver. He shared his toys, books, laughter and love with those close to him — especially with his younger brother — and with those new to his life. He was kind, practiced the ethos behind “a person is a person no matter how small” from Dr Seuss, and said he wanted to take care of babies and his parents one day. He was joyful, often singing, dancing, and spreading his infectious laughter that brightened the room.

At age 3, he made the astute comment that the airplane engine is outside, the train engine is in front, the boat engine is in the belly, then he asked where the BART metro system engine was. At age 4, he asked where water came from and what stars were made of. He learned the principles of lift and thrust, sang about the planets, and wanted to be an astronaut.

On August 8, 2025, Ayden was taken from us when a vehicle crashed into a restaurant.

Ayden’s love was pure and he gave it freely. He was happy to be present. It felt like he wanted to embrace the world and take it all in. He had a big heart. There was so much he could have held and given. A friend told us in reaction to his passing, “Oh no! Ayden was so kind, he was going to change the world one day.” We would like to think he is already changing the world, inspiring us to be more and do more.

The Dr. Deborah Edwards Barnhart endowed memorial scholarship salutes her outstanding service to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp. Dr. Barnhart passed peacefully March 11, 2026.

Dr. Barnhart served as CEO from 2010 to 2020 and took the Rocket Center from financial extremis to operational self-sustainment, a condition achieved by fewer than 1% of museums, increasing revenue from $22 million to $42 million annually. This financial turnaround at the center resulted in an 89 percent increase in gross revenue and record-setting Space Camp and museum attendance.

Dr. Barnhart had served four previous times since 1972 as media, then marketing manager, corporate fundraiser, and Director of Space Camp.

Prior to returning as CEO, she was Vice President of three Dow-30 aerospace and defense companies, serving in manufacturing, business development, program and research management, and congressional lobbying for Honeywell International, McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing), and United Technologies Aerospace (now Raytheon). A retired Navy Captain (O-6), she was one of the first 10 women assigned to duty aboard ships and commanded five units in her 26-year career.

She served on the Smithsonian Affiliations Advisory Council, the Florida Space Authority, the Alabama Space Authority Task Force, the Board of Managers of the Air Force Museum Foundation, the Board of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation, and as a Trustee of the Board of the University of Alabama in Huntsville Foundation.

She is a recipient of NASA’s Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest form of recognition awarded by NASA to a non‐government individual and was selected for the Alabama Academy of Honor after nomination by the Governor of Alabama.

Dr. Barnhart earned her doctorate at Vanderbilt University and holds degrees from the University of Maryland, the University of Alabama Huntsville, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was a Sloan Fellow.

Dr. Barnhart enjoyed metal arts and installed her first public art commission in Rose Park in 2025.

Her legacy is one of far-reaching vision and a passion for inspiring the next generation of explorers.

This fitting tribute prepares future engineers, scientists and astronauts, and carries on Dr. Barnhart’s tradition of excellence and achievement.

John B. E. Chase served in the U.S. Army Air Corp and Air Force reserves. He graduated from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina in 1950 with an electrical engineering degree. Thereafter, he began a civil service career with the Civil Aeronautics Administration in Atlanta and continued with TVA in Chattanooga. In 1956, he began work on Redstone Arsenal with the U. S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency and later with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, serving with Dr. Wernher von Braun, Dr. Walter Haussermann and others.

Upon retiring from NASA, he worked at Control Dynamics and did private consulting. Chase was also the first director for the Enhanced 911 Center in Huntsville-Madison County.

Mr. Chase was also a founding member of Trinity United Methodist Church, sang in the choir and served on numerous church, school and neighborhood committees. Mr. Chase was the primary inspiration for and then served as the chairman and secretary of the board of directors for Carlton Cove, now Magnolia Trace Continuing Care Retirement Community in Huntsville.

Mr. Chase has both an annual scholarship and an endowed scholarship that serve as a tribute to his contributions to our country, the U.S. space program and his community.