50th anniversary of historic flight by a Buckeye

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President L.B. Johnson awarded Jerrie Mock the Federal Aviation Agency Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Award
President L.B. Johnson awarded Jerrie Mock the Federal Aviation Agency Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Award
Today, a former Ohio State aeronautical engineering student who made headlines around the world will be honored once again. To commemorate the historic 1964 around-the-world solo flight by Geraldine “Jerrie” (née Fredritz) Mock, a life-size sculpture of Mock will be unveiled at Port Columbus International Airport.

The story of Mock’s flight, which began March 19, 1964 in Columbus, has received a considerable amount of renewed publicity over the course of the past year. Mock’s feat, which placed her in the annals of women’s history, has been noted on many history and social websites, including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum website. A native of Newark, Ohio, she was also the first American and the first woman to receive the Federal Aviation Administration's Louis Bleriot Silver Medal. She also wrote the book “Three-Eight Charlie” to detail her journey in the “Spirt of Columbus” airplane. 

Professor Mei Zhuang, aerospace engineering program chair for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, shares her thoughts about this Buckeye pioneer:
"Jerrie Mock’s accomplishment was truly a sensation in 1964 and continues to serve as an inspiration for all women and young girls who have interests in careers that have been largely occupied by men. While being counted as one of a very small percentage of female pilots in the mid-twentieth century, she was also a groundbreaker in the classroom in the early 1940s. As a college student in the academic unit which was to become the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at Ohio State, she was undoubtedly accustomed to being the lone woman in a classroom full of young men who were similarly interested in aeronautical engineering. We happily recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of her record-breaking flight as well as the determination and confidence she demonstrated in learning shoulder-to-shoulder amid the male-dominated halls of engineering."

Recent media coverage related to her milestone:
The Washington Post | BuzzFeed | WBNS-10TV

Category: Alumni