Space Camp inspired Morristown Salutatorian to study Astrophysics at University of Cincinnati

Mason Deak is taking his love of music and astronomy to the University of Cincinnati.

The Morristown High School Class of 2024 Salutatorian will study Astrophysics and join the marching band which he believes will provide him with a great college experience.

“The University of Cincinnati is more on the small side of colleges which I quite enjoy,” said Deak. “It seems like it has a nice community that I want to be a part of.”

Two trips to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and an excursion to

The Four Corners region of the Southwestern United States cemented Deak’s love for astronomy.

“The past two summers I went to Space Camp and it’s really awesome,” explained Deak. “That is one thing that inspired me. And we did a trip to the Four Corners to an astronomy festival. It was amazing. I talked to astronomers and astrophysicists. It was gorgeous to see the night sky.”

Finding a college or university in this part of the United States with an astrophysics program proved challenging, though.

“First of all, (Cincinnati) has an astrophysics program,” said Deak of his choice. “Not even Purdue has an astrophysics program.

“Cincinnati also has a really good co-op program. It allows you to work with companies as an internship or research project. I am definitely hungry to do some of those while there because it will get me more of a feel what it is like in that field.”

Deak envisions following one of two career paths.

“There are two paths in astrophysics. There is theoretical and the more physical side,” he said. “I don’t know which one I will go into. I guess I will probably end up working for some space agency like NASA.”

A veteran member of Morristown’s marching band, Deak also will take his trumpet to Cincinnati to keep music a big part of his life.

“I plan in the future to possibly doing music on the side,” he said.

While at Morristown, Deak also was part of the Business Professionals of America and National Honor Society.

This is the seventh in a series of 10 feature stories by the Shelby County Post on Shelby County’s Class of 2024 valedictorians and salutatorians.