Alumni & Community

2013 Jason P. Kruska

Back to Inductee List

Jason Kruska

Jason Paul Kruska

Jason Paul Kruska graduated from Western Oklahoma State College in 1991 with an Associate in Science. He was an active member of the Student Senate and the Wesley Foundation. Through his leadership as Freshman Class President, he was instrumental in making Western a tobacco free campus. This put the college years ahead of its peers in what would ultimately become Oklahoma state tobacco free legislation. Jason attended Oklahoma State University and recieved a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Spanish in 1996. He was President of Tau Beta Pi and Vice President of Pi Tau Sigma, both engineering honor societies, and a member of the Blue Key Honor Society. During his undergraduate studies at OSU, Jason was a NASA Co-op student at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This honor led him to employment at NASA in 1997. Jason completed his MBA with a certificate in Marketing and Management of Technology at University of California at Berkeley in 2002. Since joining NASA Johnson Space Center, he has worked as a safety engineer for the International Space Station and a safety and mission assurance planning engineer. He currently serves as integration and test & verification engineer. In 2008, Jason participated in International Space University's Space Studies Program in Barcelona, Spain representing NASA Johnson Space Center during a two-month intensive program.

Just prior to entering ninth grade, Jason was injured in a bicycle accident that left him a quadriplegic. Regarding physical challenges, he says, "I never consciously thought about it. It was an inconvenience but it wasn't going to stop me." Jason credits his family for his success and ability to overcome his physical challenges. "Family support is critical if you are able-bodied or not." Jason is married to Moon Tse Kruska and is the son of Paul and Mary Kruska. Jason's interest in aerospace developed while watching C-5 and C-17 air traffic over the Altus community during his childhood years.

 

#wearewestern

What is Western Oklahoma State College?

  • About

    Western Oklahoma State College, established as Altus Junior College in 1926, is the oldest original municipal two-year college still in existence in Oklahoma...
    [About WOSC]
  • Vision

    Western Oklahoma State College aspires to be the outstanding and innovative community college known for its focus on student success and its service to community and regional development.
  • Mission

    The mission of Western Oklahoma State College is to provide high quality education while ensuring equity, supporting student success, and empowering individuals to become productive members of diverse local, regional, and global communities.