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Patrick Baumann remembered by new scholarship at GHS
The family of Patrick Baumann will present a scholarship in memory of Patrick to a graduating senior from Greencastle High School Class of 2020 who will be attending Purdue University to study engineering next year.
Baumann, who graduated from GHS in 1998 as class valedictorian, attended Purdue on a Beering Presidential Scholarship. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering and went on to earn an MBA from Purdue’s Krannert School of Business before going to work as an engineer for Ablestik Laboratories in California.
Travel, education and continued learning were important to Baumann, the son of Jackie and Joe Baumann, Greencastle. He spent two semesters studying abroad while a student at Purdue. During his undergraduate studies he spent a semester at Oxford University in England and while working on his MBA, he spent a semester in Hamburg, Germany.
Shortly after starting his career in engineering, Baumann began studying Chinese at the University of Southern California, which led to his being transferred to Ablestik Laboratories facilities in Shanghai, China.
In addition to travel and education, Baumann was a voracious reader and passionate about being out in nature. Baumann began hiking the Appalachian Trail while in college and then the Pacific Coast Trail after moving to California. His love of the outdoors led to additional interests in rock climbing and mountaineering.
Baumann’s mother Jackie remembers him telling her while he was in middle school that he wanted to graduate first in his class. She replied that was a good goal but not to be disappointed if he didn’t make it, as that was a very difficult goal and not something that you have complete control over. Baumann did achieve that goal. Throughout his life, he continued to set difficult goals for himself and then proceeded to accomplish them.
Baumann disappeared while climbing in the Altai Mountains on the border of Mongolia, Russia and China in September 2019. Before his disappearance, Baumann had traveled to more than 100 countries and climbed more than 100 mountains, including the highest one in most of the countries that he visited.
The scholarship that is being offered in Baumann’s memory will be for a student who, like Baumann, is not afraid to set a goal and then work to achieve it.
Scholarship forms are available at the GHS Guidance Office. Applications for this scholarship should be completed and returned to the School Guidance Office by April 3.