"That era was characterized by such overall dedication to the task at hand. Everyone was just so dedicated to doing the very best that they possibly could and just got caught up with the pioneering aspects of everything we were doing."

    Attention to detail, planning and perfect execution were paramount to the success of Apollo 11's trip to the moon and back, but there were also some light moments. Anyone who has seen video clips of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong's historic walk on the moon will remember that walking in one-sixth of the earth's gravity looked like great fun. Says Aldrin, "Everything we were doing was as well thought out ahead of time as possible. The opportunity I had to sort of prance around a bit was just taking advantage of being in front of the camera to let people see just what the opportunities of physical movement and what the limitations were, and that was a little bit of fun."

    Following his return to Earth, Aldrin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He traveled the world to share his adventure, an adventure Aldrin says he achieved not for himself, but as a representative of mankind.

    "The manifest beauty of all that had been done lay in its precision and the ability of man to achieve the fulfillment of his dreams. If nothing else, our voyage was a tribute to man's restless imagination and creativity."
Aldrin continued his work with NASA and the Air Force, then became Commander of the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base. Since retiring he has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for America in manned space exploration. He has also worked diligently to promote the possibility of space tourism and citizen trips to the moon and beyond.

    "I think travel and enthusiastic involvement by the public is an absolute necessity to be an ingredient supporting human space flight," says Aldrin. "We need to understand how to combine the progress that we need in exploration and the progress that we need in exposing more and more human beings to the opportunities of space flight."

    It's a dream not without challenges. Aldrin says the laws of physics don't make it easy to get large objects, including groups of humans, into space, and overcoming those challenges will require a great deal of dedication. Success in space and in life, according to Aldrin, come from the same key qualities. "Curiosity, perseverance and patience." Aldrin's advice to New England Tech graduates, "Be patient and persevere despite slow downs and temporary set backs and look for opportunities."

    Dr. Aldrin will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters at New England Institute of Technology's 64th commencement ceremony. Graduation exercises will begin at 11 a.m. at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence.

Former Governor Sundlum To Recieve Honorary Degree

    Former Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun says decisiveness is one of the most important qualities of leadership. Over the course of a long career in business and politics, he has made that quality his trademark, but he tempers it with a rule of not taking action without notifying beforehand those concerned.

    At New England Tech's commencement this May, Governor Sundlun will receive an honorary degree in recognition of his many significant accomplishments. Sundlun was elected governor in 1990 with the largest vote majority in the state's history (nearly 75 percent). He was reelected to a second term in 1992. While serving as the state's top executive, Sundlun says his proudest accomplishment was resolving the disastrous credit union crisis he inherited on his first day in office. Nearly four-dozen banks and credit unions were at risk of going under after the private corporation that insured their deposits failed. On his very first day in office, Governor Sundlun closed all the affected banks and froze their assets - a move that raised protests across the state. His actions were vindicated two years later as Rhode Island, unlike other states that went through banking crises, repaid all depositors, with interest. No state in the country today permits banks and credit unions to operate without federal insurance.

    Governor Sundlun also created the RIte Care program to provide health care for children and pregnant women. That program has been successful in dramatically reducing infant mortality and malnutrition, and improved prenatal care.

    Another project that Sundlun began while in office and continues to champion is the expansion and upgrading of Warwick's T.F. Green Airport. As a result of those improvements, the airport has dramatically increased business in recent years and serves as a regional hub for Southwest Airlines. In recognition of Sundlun's efforts, the main terminal at T. F. Green Airport was named after him.

    As a business leader, Sundlun ran the Providence-based Outlet Company expanding it from ownership of one retail store and one broadcast station into a huge corporation controlling more than 100 retail stores and 15 broadcast stations nationwide. Another high point of his business career was his appointment to the board of COMSAT - the corporation that developed the world's first satellite communications network and forever changed the speed and the manner in which information travels around the globe today. He served as a director for thirty years. Sundlun also served as a founder and president of Executive Jet Aviation, now NETJETS.

    In his personal life, Sundlun takes the greatest pride in his military service during World War II. As a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps, he was shot down over Belgium while piloting a B-17 bomber. He avoided capture, joined up with underground resistance forces and eventually escaped to Switzerland. After the war, he served in a number of command positions and retired from military service in 1980 with the rank of Colonel. During his military career, he received several military honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Cluster, Purple Heart, and the Legion of Honour (France).

    With all of his career experience, Sundlun's advice to college graduates is direct and to the point. He encourages graduates to always think in terms of facts - to look at the who, what, where, when and how of a situation - and not get caught up in opinions - their own or those of other people. And his other piece of advice for graduates or for anyone who seeks success is to be punctual. Being on time, according to the governor, may seem like a small detail but it tells people a great deal about what type of person you are.

Governor Sundlun will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during commencement..

Interview

    Chris Johnson is a 2000 graduate from the Electronics Engineering Technology BS degree program who is now an electronics instructor at his former high school, South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA. He tells his story of how he got into teaching after completing his degree program at New England Tech.

1. What was your first position after completing your degree programs at NEIT? Can you describe what you did there? My first job after graduating was an electronic technician and then service manager for Yankee Controller Services. I trained and supervised a staff of service technicians, conducted calibrations repair of thermal plastic manufacturing machines and designed process control panels as well as tested simulation fixtures.
2. What made you decide to go into teaching? Did you always know you wanted teach?
The idea of teaching came to me when I visited an open house at my old Vo-Tech High School. There was an open position available teaching electronics, and after talking with my old electronics instructor I decided to teach. Teaching would let me give something back to the school that initially got me interested in the electronics trade.
3. How difficult was it for you to obtain your teaching certificate?
It was not difficult at all, there was a written and practical test given by the state of Massachusetts that pretty much covered everything I learned from NEIT and the Vo-Tech. There where twelve courses that had to be completed at UMASS Boston that covered everything about teaching at a vocational school. After completion, I received my education license to teach electronics. To keep the license, further coursework or professional development points are required every two years.
4. What do you enjoy most about teaching high school students?
That the studentsÕ interest in learning makes it possible to do college level projects in high school. Also, being with the students for four years everyday, all day, you really get a sense of their educational and personal development.
5. What do you remember most from your experiences at NEIT?
My senior project and Mr. Vin ScottoÕs classes.
6. What experiences/classes helped prepare you for what you are doing today?
The experiences that helped me were going to the Vo-Tech and getting a head start in college. Also being in the Civil Air Patrol gave me lots of experience working with teens and adults.
7. Knowing what you know nowÉis there anything you would have liked to do differently?
Due to commuting distances and work I was not able to experience college life at its fullest. I was not able to be a part of committees, clubs, or socialize with other students.
8. What do you feel is the most important lesson students should learn from their college experiences?
Students should have a strong foundation of basic skills of their trade. Without this they are unable to grasp more advanced theories and skills.