Victor Glover"Wrestling was one of the most indelible influences in my life," Glover said. "Someone asks me about being in the pool at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and doing the EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) training. I compare it to wrestling and how you have to be able to think in 3-D and think moves ahead if you want to go from good to great.
"Wrestling had just as much of an impact on me as the things I was learning in the lab or in engineering."
The 37-year-old Navy lieutenant commander was among eight candidates named to NASA's 21st astronaut class in 2013, and the only African-American in that group. Glover and his classmates completed their initial astronaut training and are now active NASA astronauts eligible for mission assignments. Glover was selected from the second largest number of applications NASA had ever received -- more than 6,100.
Glover will present his talk, titled "Engineering Possibilities", to discuss the benefits of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education as part of Cal Poly's Engineering Possibilities in College summer camp, said Teana Fredeen director of the EPIC program.
"Cal Poly launched Victor on his quest to work in space," Fredeen said, "so we're excited to have him speak at Cal Poly."
The presentation is free and open to the public. Spanos Theatre is between the University Union and the Performing Arts Center in the center of campus.
Cal Poly wrestling has been in news recently, thanks to former Mustang matmen, and a just-announced recruit. In addition to astronaut Glover, another former Cal Poly wrestler in the news is Chad Mendes, two-time NCAA Division I All-American in 2006 and 2008 who will be fighting at UFC 189 this weekend in Las Vegas. As for the future Mustang ... Alec Donovan, 2015 New Jersey high school state wrestling champion who publicly revealed he is gay on a wrestling recruiting trip in May, recently signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Cal Poly. Donovan is believed to be the first openly gay college wrestler in the US. (In late March, Mike Pucillo, 2008 NCAA 184-pound champ for Ohio State, revealed his sexual orientation in an interview with wrestling journalist Jason Bryant.) Donovan plans to major in animal sciences, with the career goal of becoming a veterinarian.
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