Where Did Mark Kelly Go to College?

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly has had a diverse career in public service, transitioning from a naval pilot to a NASA astronaut and eventually being elected to the U.S. Senate.

His national service led to widespread recognition when he was considered as a potential Democratic vice-presidential candidate running alongside Kamala Harris, though he ultimately wasn’t chosen.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Kelly, 60, graduated from Mountain High School in 1982 before pursuing a bachelor’s in marine engineering and nautical science at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Following his college graduation in 1986, Kelly became a Navy pilot, flying 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. After the Gulf War, Kelly returned to school to earn his master’s in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, graduating in 1994.

The engineering education that I got at the Naval Postgraduate School gave me the academic background I needed to become competitive to be selected as an astronaut, Kelly said in an interview with the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation & Alumni Association.

… More than just the engineering education, the Naval Postgraduate School also made me a better problem solver, something that I put to use at every stage of my career, including as a senator.

After obtaining his master’s degree, Kelly attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1996, along with his identical twin brother, Scott. He served as an astronaut until 2011, spending more than 50 days in space during his tenure.

Kelly hasn’t been outspoken on the top issues in higher education but has publicly supported several Democratic-led policies, including student debt forgiveness and increased funding to the federal Pell Grant program.

During his 2022 election campaign, Kelly went on the record to defend the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan, saying he was glad the plan was more targeted than other, more overarching debt relief proposals, according to reporting from Axios.

The reality is college costs too much, and the federal government should not be profiting off of young graduates, he said in a statement to the news outlet.

As the junior senator from Arizona, Kelly introduced legislation with U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to modernize the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which is awarded to college sophomores and juniors interested in research careers in math, engineering, and natural sciences.

In order to outcompete China and other adversaries, we need to continue educating the best scientists and engineers in the world, Kelly said in a press release. This bill I am introducing today with Sen. Collins will help support the next generation of young innovators, researchers, and engineers in Arizona and across the country who will go on to be leaders in innovation.

Kelly also supports increased funding for the federal Pell Grant program, signing a letter urging the chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to increase the program’s discretionary allocation.

The Pell Grant is the cornerstone of federal student aid and currently helps over 6 million students pursue higher education in the United States,the letter read.

With a continued investment in the Pell Grant, we can better extend educational opportunity to more students from low- and moderate-income families, who will be critical to meeting the demand for a highly educated workforce.

Kelly has acknowledged that he was not always the best student, especially before college, but emphasizes that setting goals and staying motivated helped him improve his grades and pursue his dream career.

I set a goal of my own, to become the first person to walk on the planet Mars, and I started studying harder and getting better grades, he said.

While I didn’t make it to Mars, I did fly into space four times and commanded the Space Shuttle, and it was setting that bar for myself that gave me the motivation I needed to put in the work. And that education laid the foundation for me to serve our country in a number of ways.