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Events Rensselaer President to Dedicate Alumni Hall of Fame and Alumni in Space Display in Celebration of Fifty Years of Rensselaer at HartfordEVENT: The Honorable Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, will preside over the dedication of the Rensselaer Alumni in Space Commemorative Display and the Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame in honor of Rensselaer at Hartford celebrating fifty years of educating working professionals. DATE: Friday, June 2, 2006 TIME: 2:30 - 4 p.m. LOCATION: Level 3, Rensselaer Hartford Campus, 275 Windsor Street, Hartford, Connecticut ABOUT THE RENSSELAER ALUMNI HALL OF FAME: The achievements of Rensselaer alumni through the years have had important and far-reaching effects. From the bridge builders of the 19th century to the engineers of space exploration, from the inventors of the Industrial Revolution to the entrepreneurs of today's computer technology, Rensselaer alumni have helped shape our world. In 1955 the Rensselaer Alumni Association, with the full endorsement of the Institute of the Board of Trustees, created the Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame to preserve and celebrate the exceptional heritage of alumni accomplishments throughout the years. The stories of these innovators, pioneers, and entrepreneurs provide a powerful source of inspiration for all who follow in their paths, and who, like them, will continue to shape our world. The total membership in the Rensselaer Hall of Fame is currently at 53. ABOUT RENSSELAER'S ALUMNI IN SPACE: Three alumni of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, all of whom attended classes at the Rensselaer Hartford Campus, have flown in space. • John “Jack” Swigert (Class of 1965) joined NASA's fifth astronaut class. He was the prime command pilot of Apollo 13, which was forced to abort its mission to the moon and endure a harrowing journey back to Earth. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1970. Swigert was posthumously inducted into the Rensselaer Hall of Fame in 2003. • Richard “Rick” Mastracchio (Class of 1987), NASA astronaut, served as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Atlantis mission STS-106 that worked on building the International Space Station. He was the flight engineer during the launch and landing of the Atlantis. • Dennis A. Tito (Class of 1964), founder and CEO of Wilshire Associates Inc., became the world's first space tourist, traveling aboard a Soyuz spacecraft with a Russian crew to the International Space Station in April 2001. Tito was presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Hartford Chapter of the Rensselaer Alumni Association in 2002. MEDIA ADVISORY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: All media professionals are cordially invited to attend this event. Media kits will be available at the reception desk.
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