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STAFF
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HISTORY
PROS
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REVIEW
BEAMER
HERBERT J . THOMAS , JR .
(Class of 1944)
Thomas, a former football player, received the Medal of Honor for action
on Bougainville Island in the South Pacific during World War II. During
a battle, Thomas threw a grenade, but the jungle vines dropped it back
among his men. Thomas jumped on the grenade, giving his life to save
the lives of his men.
CHR I STOPHER KRAF T
(Class of 1944)
Kraft, a former baseball player, is a retired NASA engineer who
established the agency’s “Mission Control” operation. He served as the
agency’s first flight director and oversaw the first human spaceflight,
orbital flight and spacewalk. The Mission Control Center at the Lyndon B.
Johnson Space Center in Houston is named after Kraft, who graduated
from Tech with a degree in aeronautical engineering.
ROBERT R I CHARDSON
(Class of 1958 and 1960)
Richardson brought international notoriety to Virginia Tech when he
shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics with two others for their 1972
discovery of the property of superfluidity in helium-3 atoms. He received
both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in physics from Virginia
Tech and spent nearly his entire career as a professor and physics
researcher at Cornell.
I RV I NG PEDDREW
(Class of 2016)
Peddrew was the first African-American student to attend Virginia Tech
and the first to attend any historically all-white four-year public institution
in the 11 former states of the Confederacy when he enrolled in 1953.
Peddrew studied at Tech for three years before moving to California
to join the workforce. In 2016, the university presented him with an
honorary Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering.
CHARL I E YATES
(Class of 1958)
Yates was the first African-American graduate of Virginia Tech, receiving
his degree in mechanical engineering 1958. He later became a college
professor and twice returned to Virginia Tech to work. The final time was
in 1987 when he served as an associate professor in the aerospace
and engineering department. He remained at Tech until his retirement in
2000. In 2010, he passed away after a long bout with leukemia.
HOMER H I CKAM
(Class of 1964)
As a Corps of Cadets member, Hickam designed Skipper, the iconic
cannon Virginia Tech fires during football games when it scores and
also at other functions. After graduating with a degree in industrial
engineering, Hickam served in the military during the Vietnam War, and
after he returned, he worked for NASA. But he is best known as an
author, with his memoir “Rocket Boys,” becoming a New York Times
best seller. The 1999 movie entitled “October Sky” was based off
Hickam’s book.
DAVE CALHOUN
(Class of 1979)
Calhoun is the senior managing director and head of private equity
portfolio operations of Blackstone. He also has worked as a vice
chairman of The General Electric Company. He graduated with a degree
in accounting and serves on the Pamplin College of Business Advisory
Council.
ROB WI T TMAN
(Class of 1981)
Wittman earned his degree in biological sciences and worked for 26
years in state government as a field director for the division of shellfish
sanitation in the Virginia health department and as an environmental
health specialist for local health departments in the commonwealth. He
transitioned to politics, and today, the former Corps of Cadets member is
a U.S. Congressman, representing Virginia’s 1st Congressional District.
L ET I T I A “ T I SH” LONG
(Class of 1982)
Long began her career in the U.S. Navy before she even graduated with
her degree in electrical engineering, serving as an intern developing
capabilities for the submarine force. She eventually moved into
intelligence arena, and in 2010, became the director of the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. She became the first woman to lead
a major U.S. intelligence agency. In 2014, she retired after 36 years of
federal service.
HODA KOTB
(Class of 1986)
Kotb works as a co-anchor for the fourth hour of the TODAY show with
Kathie Lee Gifford and she also serves as a correspondent for Dateline
NBC, an investigative show. In addition, she has written three books and
once served as Virginia Tech’s commencement speaker (2008). She
graduated from the university with a degree in broadcast journalism.
STEVE MOL L ENKOPF
(Class of 1992)
Mollenkopf began his career with Qualcomm more than 20 years ago
as an engineer and eventually led the chipset business, overseeing the
launch of the 4G technology. In 2010, he moved into the role of chief
operating officer and he now serves as the CEO of the company. He
graduated from the university with a degree in electrical engineering.
ROGER CRA I G
(Class of 1999)
Craig graduated with degrees in biological sciences and biochemistry
and has published eight papers in the field of bioinformatics. But he is
best known for holding the record for highest single-day winnings on
the quiz show Jeopardy, which he set on Sept. 14, 2010. In 2011, he
returned to win the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.
Charlie Yates (left)
and Irving Peddrew
Christopher Kraft
presented a moon
rock to Virginia Tech
in 2006.
HODA KOTB
DAVE CALHOUN
ROB WITTMAN
Herb Thomas
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