Andrew Paul Coleman

October 14, 2002 – October 4, 2022

An Aggie who reached for the stars in all he did.

For aerospace engineering sophomore Andrew Coleman, the decision to apply to and attend Texas A&M was a no-brainer. Though he could have attended any institution closer to his home of Erie, Pa., his father, Richard, said Andrew took a leap of faith toward Aggieland.

“[During Andrew’s senior year] we looked at him and said, ‘Hey, what are you thinking about for colleges? We should start looking.’ He just says, ‘I’ve already picked. I’ve already picked and started applying.’ We’re like, ‘OK, where?’ and he says ‘Texas A&M,’” Richard said. “After his freshman year, he had the grades to get into [aerospace engineering]. He was very proud of that moment. We all were.” 

Though he was driven to pursue aerospace engineering by his mechanically-focused mind, Andrew’s passions extended to math decathalons, playing the trumpet, running cross country and expanding his historical and cultural knowledge while roadtripping with his mother, father and sister.

Andrew wasn’t outgoing by nature, but coming to A&M gave him a sense of community and a new passion to delve deeply into. His father said seeing his son so enthusiastic during football games and donning Aggie gear was a welcome surprise. 

“He couldn’t have been prouder to have been an Aggie. Like a lot of intelligent individuals, he was sometimes socially awkward, maybe he didn’t want to go to football games, but he studied and knew the school inside and out,” Richard said. “Last year at a game, I watched him, someone who was shy and usually hard to engage in things, link arms with everyone around us and do every yell at the top of [his] lungs.”

Beyond his Aggie spirit, Andrew embodied the Aggie Core Values even before he started university. As he proved Excellence through academics, he also shared his knowledge with family, friends and peers through acts of Selfless Service. His father also described him as having deep Integrity throughout his life.

“His integrity was second to none. He missed one day in his entire school career because he knew it was important to be in school,” Richard said. “He was never late for anything, he was ahead of his contemporaries … His teachers were amazed, that even though he was months ahead of most, he would finish his work and go help other kids … You couldn’t question his integrity in any form, he was the most honest person I’ve ever met.”

His love for knowledge extended outside of academics, Richard said, especially through their shared love for roller coasters and new thrills. A favorite recent memory was their summer trip to amusement parks, as a part of their 250 coaster ride saga.

“Andrew and I shared a love of roller coasters. By nature of my business, I’m on the road a lot, but the last few summers we’d go on a road trip and do 50 roller coasters in five days,” Richard said. “This past summer, it turned out that I had a fractured vertebrae on day two, and had some other issues going on, and I was trying to push through. That kid was so worried about every step I was taking, but we had more fun than ever. All he was worried about was making sure I could get to the next ride and get home. I [saw] genuine care, like you don’t see from many kids that age anymore.”

In both amusing and academic pursuits, Andrew always wanted to learn more and to share it with those around him. Richard said Andrew’s curiosity and broad knowledge constantly surprised him.

“[During the trip,] I asked him if he knew about the CN Tower, and he said, ‘Oh, are you talking about the Skywalk?’ and he just started rattling off every figure about it,” Richard said. “I had never mentioned the CN Tower to him before. We just never understood how a kid even at 18 … how he devoured this knowledge and could answer all this stuff. It’s not a specific memory, just a lifetime of being blown away by every fact and figure that he came across.”

“He never showed off in that way, it’d have to come up naturally. He wasn’t trying to one-up anybody, but if you wanted the answer to something, he’d give it to you,” Richard said. “He’d never make you feel stupid for not knowing it, he may have a little smugness for knowing it, but never made fun of you.” 

To reflect his passion for flight, the stars and new adventures, the Coleman family will send Andrew’s ashes into space, through the Celestis program. Andrew’s biography and flight information can be found on the Celestis website. Even though Richard said he misses him greatly, he feels this ceremony will honor his memory in a unique and meaningful way.

“In honor of the career he was pursuing, there is a program where you can send ashes into space, and we thought it was the way we could do the most for him,” Richard said. “I could always get him talking about NASA or SpaceX or Artemis, and now he’s going to be on the same type of rocket he’d be studying and talking about for a long time.”