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Dinius Awarded NASA Armstrong Scholarship

The NASA Armstrong Employee Exchange Council has presented its 2016 Thomas W. Finch Memorial Scholarship Award to Katelynn Dinius.
Dinius is a 2016 graduate of Paraclete High School in Lancaster, California. She is planning to major in mechanical engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, in the fall.

“I have liked math since elementary school, and I looked for majors to fit my interests,” she said. “Mechanical engineering looks like a good fit, and I would really like a job in aerospace.”

The annual scholarship provides $2,000 a year for up to four years for attendance at a four-year college or university. The recipient must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 or higher to retain the scholarship. Applicants must be high school seniors whose parents work at Armstrong.

Her parents said they couldn’t be prouder.

“I am really excited for her,” said Dede Dinius, her mom, and a NASA Armstrong visual information specialist. “She has always been financially aware and now she has earned some contributions toward her education. I am excited for her that her hard work has been acknowledged.”

Clint Dinius, Katelynn Dinius’ dad, added, “I’m thankful for NASA Armstrong’s support of Katelynn’s education.”

Katelynn Dinius, second from left, accepts the 2016 NASA Armstrong Exchange Thomas W. Finch Scholarship from Center Director Dav
Katelynn Dinius, second from left, accepts the 2016 NASA Armstrong Exchange Thomas W. Finch Scholarship from Center Director David McBride. From left are Clint Dinius, Dinius, McBride, Joe Dinius and Dede Dinius. Credits: NASA / Lauren Hughes

Dinius earned a 4.28 grade-point average and was valedictorian of her graduating class. She earned the Principal Award for academic achievement every semester, the Curriculum Award of Excellence and the Advanced Placement Calculus Subject Award. She also was a member of the national English, Spanish and honors societies and the California Scholarship Federation.

She also is a member of Mu Alpha Theta (the United States mathematics honors society). During her last semester at Paraclete Dinius was part of the Lockheed Martin Corp. Conceptual Design Internship program.

Dinius was awarded a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from California Senator Steve Knight and a scholarship from the Society of Woman Engineers. She was actively involved in the Rosamond Civil Air Patrol and tutored students, as well as taking piano lessons and ballet classes.

She lettered as a member of the varsity cross-country and track teams. Dinius was an active member of the Key Club, Irish Club, Drama Club and the Environmental Club. In addition, she was a news editor for Clete News and communications officer and retreat leader for the Campus Ministry. As part of her involvement in her church youth group, she does monthly community service projects.

The exchange council scholarships are named for former employees of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, with honorees selected on a rotating basis, such as Finch this year. Finch was a center engineer who specialized in stability and control and worked on aircraft such as the X-5, the XF-91 and the legendary X-15 rocket-powered aircraft. Scholarship funds are raised from council activities, including proceeds from vending machines, the Armstrong Gift Shop, cafeteria sales and fundraising events.

For more about NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong

– NASA –

Jay Levine
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
(661) 276-3459
jay.levine-1@nasa.gov