Kwesi Sipho Umoja, EE’67, says that Dr. Martin Luther King’s death had a profound effect on his perception of tomorrow. Umoja, one of only 19 African-Americans on the S&T campus when he was in school, would go on to start the first black-owned and operated national radio network, National Black Network, in 1971. “While I…
When she established the Woman of the Year award at Missouri S&T, Cindy Tang, a 1985 economics graduate, wanted to recognize female faculty who have improved the campus environment for women. So far, 23 female faculty members have been recognized for their accomplishments and service to the university. Tang is the founder and former chair…
Richard K. Vitek, a 1958 chemistry graduate, began his career as a research chemist producing uranium from ore, before moving on to work as a scientist, director and startup CEO. His accomplishments include working with the U.S. Coast Guard to develop UV imaging instruments that analyze oil spills to identify the tankers responsible and develop…
Keith Bailey, a 1964 mechanical engineering graduate, transformed a company and then transformed S&T athletics. He joined Williams Co. in 1973 and became chair of the board in 1994, when the company’s assets were $5 billion. Upon his retirement in 2002, the company’s assets totaled $38 billion. Bailey played varsity football and basketball for the…
Louis Smith, EE’66, president of AlliedSignal Inc., gave the commencement address to the graduating class in the spring 1993. The forerunner dared students to step up to leadership opportunities and accept the challenge. He recalled, when a young engineer for AlliedSignal, his friends were talking about their goals and, when asked, Smith said that he…
Gene Boyt, who earned a degree in mechanical engineering; Robert Silhavy, ceramic engineering; and John McAnerney, civil engineering, were called up to serve in the U.S. Army two weeks after they graduated in 1941. Stationed in the Philippines, the three were part of Allied troops stranded without air support after the attack on Pearl Harbor.…
Kamila Crane, who earned a bachelor’s degree (1985) and master’s degree (1986) in civil engineering, was prepared to start rebuilding the Bay Area of California almost immediately after the Loma Linda earthquake of Oct. 17, 1989 — the same earthquake that interrupted the first game of that year’s baseball World Series. Crane worked in the…
Tamiko Youngblood, MinE’92, MS EMgt’94, PhD EMgt’97, was a woman of many “firsts.” She was the first African American woman to graduate from Missouri S&T’s mining engineering program and she was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. from S&T. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering (1992), she also earned…
Jesse Bowen, EE’49, joined the Army during peacetime and was a radio operator for B-10 bombers. Immediately after Pearl Harbor was attacked, his unit was equipped with brand new B-25 bombers and sent to Nevada for aerial gunnery training. Bowen was shipped out to England and named Group Communications Chief with the 354th Fighter Group. …
A professor once called Walter Remmers, MetE’23, MS MetE’24, “the laziest man in school.” And Remmers owned up to it. “When I started here, I had a better high school education than most freshmen, but I didn’t work.” That professor’s comment lit a fire under Remmers, though, and he went on to excel in his…