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Tennessee Tech celebrates trustee, alumnus Barry Wilmore’s return to space with successful Starliner launch
NASA astronaut and Tennessee Tech alumnus Barry “Butch” Wilmore is photographed at
NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Photo by Robert Markowitz/NASA.
Tennessee Tech University applauded the return to space of its university trustee
and two-time graduate Barry “Butch” Wilmore with the Boeing Starliner’s successful
June 5 launch.
Wilmore and fellow astronaut Suni Williams are expected to dock at the International
Space Station at 11:15 AM CT on Thursday. They will spend eight days at the ISS before
beginning their return home.
While there, Wilmore will participate in a video question-and-answer session with
the children of Tech faculty and staff. The event will air on NASA TV and will be
shared afterwards on the agency’s digital platforms. Wilmore recently previewed the
video chat in a pre-flight conversation with reporters, calling Tech “the finest university in the nation."
Tech President Phil Oldham congratulated Wilmore on his successful launch:
“Through his character and accomplishments, Barry has made Tennessee Tech enormously
proud. His indelible mark on our campus is undeniable,” said Oldham. “As he continues
on this historic voyage, he has the support and well wishes of the entire Golden Eagle
community.”
A Mt. Juliet, Tenn. native, Wilmore holds two degrees and an honorary doctorate from
Tech. As a Tech football alum, Wilmore is a member of the university’s Sports Hall
of Fame and was the 2018 recipient of the Teddy Roosevelt Award, the NCAA’s highest
honor.
Wilmore also received Tech’s 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award for the College of Engineering.
His term on the university’s Board of Trustees extends from 2017 to 2026.
