Christa McAuliffe
The story of Christa McAuliffe and Framingham is not one of birthplace, but of professional roots and purpose, a connection grounded in education, which defined her life and ultimately shaped her legacy.
Before she became known to the nation as the teacher chosen to travel into space, McAuliffe was, first, an educator. She attended Framingham State University, graduating in 1970 with a degree of education. At the time, the school was one of the oldest teacher training institutions in the country, committed to preparing educators for public service.
It was here, in Framingham, that she began to shape her identity, as a teacher who believed in bringing history and experience to life for her students. That philosophy would stay with her throughout her career and become central to her selection for NASA’s Teacher in Space program.
Years later, when she was chosen by NASA to join the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, it was as a representative of educators everywhere. She planned to teach lessons from orbit.
Her story is forever tied to the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986.
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