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“I see the world without any borders, without any fighting, without any  fear.”

 

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP sounds the alarm. It’s time to get up. And so another day begins.

But, what if this day was different? What if THIS day when you looked up you saw Earth? What if THIS day when you walked out your front door you stepped onto the Moon? What if THIS day you knew the words you would speak would be heard around the world and for all of history?

Captain Eugene Cernan has experienced a lifetime of days beyond the ordinary. Along with his outstanding contribution to the world’s knowledge of space and space exploration, Captain Cernan’s passion for global peace and understanding among the countries of the world can be seen in the faces of every alumni, every host family, and every community that has been touched by Up with People.

With great honor, the Founder's Award, presented by Up with People Founder and Chairman Emeritus J. Blanton Belk to an individual who has made a lasting contribution to Up with People, was awarded at this year’s 2008 reunion to Captain Eugene Cernan. Along with Captain Cernan’s many years of service on the Board of Directors of Up with People, his words and his life served as the inspiration for the powerful show-ending Up with People song Moon Rider.

 

Biography

Captain Cernan has acted as a Special Technical Consultant in on-camera support in covering space and related documentary programming – most notable among which are ABC Television’s News and Special Events and ESPN’s documentary coverage of “EARTHWINDS HILTON.” He has recently authored his autobiography, THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON.

Captain Cernan joined Digital Equipment in 1986 and served as an Executive Consultant, Aerospace and Government for the Government Systems Group organization until 1992. From 1976 to 1981, Captain Cernan served as the Executive Vice President, International and Director of Coral Petroleum, Inc. He was charged with the corporate development of a world-wide supply and marketing strategy. During this period, Captain Cernan furthered his education at the Wharton School of Finance and Northwestern University.  

Captain Cernan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1956. He earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1963 from the United States Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. Captain Cernan was also awarded Honorary Doctorates of Engineering from Purdue, Drexel and Gonzaga Universities, and an Honorary Doctorate degree from Western State College of Law and Comenius University of the Slovak Republic. His honors include the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal with Star, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the FAI International Gold Medal for Space, the VFW Gold Space Award, the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal for Space, the Sons of the American Revolution George Washington Award, induction into the U.S. Space Hall of Fame, the Challenger Center’s “Salute to the U.S. Space Program” Honor, Slovak American World Recognition Award, Czech Republic Presidential Medal of Honor and a Television Emmy. Captain Cernan was an Olympic Torch Bearer in May 1996; was honored by the Illinois State Society as Outstanding Illinoisian during the 54^th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., was recipient of the 2003 National Engineering Washington Award; and in May 2005, Captain Cernan was awarded NASA’s first Ambassador of Exploration Award.

Captain Cernan has been enshrined into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, and most recently in May 2006 into Naval Aviation’s Hall of Honor. In October 2006, he received the Federal Aviation Administration’s coveted Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, and May 2007 he received The Lindbergh Spirit Award presented every five years. This past December, 2007, The National Aeronautic Association presented Captain Cernan with one of the most prestigious aviation trophies in the world, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, in Washington, DC. And on April 25, 2008, Captain Cernan was honored by receiving the 2008 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement.

Captain Cernan is an active member of several professional societies. Representative among them are the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Association of Naval Aviation, Tail Hook Association, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Astronautical Society, and the Early and Pioneer Naval Aviators Association (“Golden Eagles”). Captain Cernan is a member of the Board of Directors of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the President’s Engineering Council Purdue University; and on of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, NFL Alumni and Major League Baseball Players Alumni.