Alumnus makes $3 million estate gift to UC’s College-Conservatory of Music

A native of Mason, Ohio, Mitchell grew up watching the Kings Island fireworks from his bedroom window. When he started his college career 30 minutes away from his hometown, he felt a whole world of possibility open. This included his co-op at the U.S. Navy research laboratory in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., which launched his career. His first position after commencement was in the Space Shuttle Program in Houston from 1982 to early 1986.

“Fun stories are perhaps the best part of my career,” Mitchell said. “In Houston, I lived a few houses down the street from Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman to travel to space. She and I would always wave to each other as we crossed paths on the neighborhood running trail.”

Mitchell spent the remainder of his career at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, where he also earned his master’s degree in applied physics. This included work with the NATO Missile Defense Program and visits to 35 European countries. He lived in Europe for three years and crossed the Atlantic Ocean more than 300 times.

Additional stories include a personal request to meet with John Young, a revered astronaut who walked on the moon. Young wanted to hear about a study Mitchell had conducted on landing shuttles with lost engines. A road trip from The Hague to Riga, Latvia in November 2006 also ranks high. Mitchell drove 500,000 euros of computer equipment to the NATO Political Summit in Riga.

“The trip to Riga was the ultimate road trip, leaving me with so many once-in-a-lifetime memories,” Mitchell said. “I can honestly say my journey to Riga began at the University of Cincinnati. My wish is for future generations of UC students find similar, crazy and wonder-filled paths in life.”