The MRover team honors the memory of Jacqueline Tardif, a graduate of Michigan's Aerospace Engineering Program and former MRover president, who passed away due to Covid-19 complications in January of 2021.
Jackie served as team lead from 2010 to 2013, a pivotal era in the team's history. Her extraordinary dedication was responsible for much of the team's foundations in its early days. We owe MRover's official establishment as a WSTPC team to Jackie, as well as the funding she worked tirelessly to secure for building the team's first rovers.
Following her graduation, Jackie pursued her passion for space at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California, where she served as a lead mechanical engineer. There, she designed and built satellites, two of which were launched into orbit from the International Space Station, a testament to her remarkable skill and dedication.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jackie devoted herself to giving back. She spent her spare time working with special needs children through horseback riding programs and STEM outreach initiatives, inspiring the next generation just as she inspired all of us.