On Thursday (Oct 8th), FSGC board member Tony Gannon attended the Irish American Historical Society Awards in New York city where he received an Education Award in recognition of his work in aerospace education at the Kennedy Space Center. Over 200 guests attended the event including most of the 100 other nominees in the “Irish American Education 100”. VIPs attending included Mr. Niall Burgess Consular General of Ireland, Dr. Hugh Brady, President University College Dublin as well as representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties in New York. Also attending was an assistant to Mrs. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, who is an honorary member of the Society.
Most of the nominees were presidents and teaching staff from a number of US colleges scattered throughout the US, including St. John Fisher College (NY); Manhattan College; Queen’s College (NY); University of Massachusetts (Boston); University of Dayton (Ohio); Villanova University; Emory University (Atlanta GA); Notre Dame (Indiana); University of Montana;, Boston College; Lehman College; Barry University (Miami); Quinnipiac University (CT);Loyola College (MD); Mellon Financial Corp; Princeton University; Harvard University and Georgetown University, to name a few. Ten of the original nominees were selected as ‘gold’ awardees including Tony Gannon.
Gannon conceived the Space Florida/FSGC Academy programs at Kennedy Space Center several years ago, a program which now has hundreds of alumni, many of whom are working in aeronautics and space research. He also coordinated the Irish Science Challenge programs in Florida which has provided internship opportunities for many Irish science graduates to work at Kennedy, Johnson Space Center and several other research institutions throughout the US. The reception at the Irish American Historical Society was sponsored by the Irish America magazine and the Irish Voice newspaper.