Brudos Engineers Stellar Support
Curtis Brudos ’58 has lofty ambitions for the Jackrabbits he supports – in fact, his vision for their futures is out of this world.
After a distinguished career in aerospace science, the electrical engineering grad has funded a scholarship to help aspiring engineers excel to new heights and follow in his astronomical footsteps.
Growing up, Curtis attended Sisseton High School before carrying on to higher education at South Dakota State. He and his wife, Phyllis ’59, both received scholarship support, a meaningful boost they’d pay forward later in life. Curtis credits the strong technical education he received for his ability to launch his career after graduation.
After joining Martin Marietta Astronautics (now Lockheed Martin) in 1971, he served as manager of ground systems for NASA on the Viking Lander project, which sent the first unmanned spacecraft to land on Mars. It was an experience Curtis looks back on with reverence and appreciation, leading him to a 27-year career that earned him some of the company’s top awards. Now retired, he follows Lockheed Martin’s developments with a close eye, their most recent venture making headlines with the lunar mission of the Artemis II.
His adventures in aerospace inspired Curtis to fuel similar opportunities for Jackrabbits like himself, of which he says the industry could use many.
My hope for this scholarship is to encourage young people to make it as engineers. I spent a lot of time in the aerospace industry, and I’m hoping students can pursue a career there, too.
— Curtis Brudos
Curtis not only gives back to the university financially but has been generous with his time, as well. A fellow 1958 graduate and engineering giant, Jerry Lohr, encouraged him to join the SDSU Foundation’s Board of Directors from 1999-2008. Looking back on his service and support of SDSU, Curtis cites a desire to see the university prosper, including students in the field that impacted him so greatly. He believes those with an aptitude for engineering, like in aerospace sciences, should have the chance to build extraordinary careers.
Much like he looks back on his experience with the Viking Lander, he boldly predicts that someday, NASA might land a human on Mars – and just maybe, a Jackrabbit he uplifts might lead the way. “There are so many possibilities for engineering students these days,” he reflects, especially with donors like him dreaming big for their futures.