February 28, 2006
Once again, The University of Texas at Austin is honored by Walter Cronkite's generosity. It is our privilege to make a home for his Ambassador of Exploration award, which recognizes Mr. Cronkite's distinguished public service to the nation for his coverage of America 's space program.
We pledge to safeguard this remarkable award and make it available for public exhibition in the Center for American History. We want our fellow Texans and visitors from around the world to view our own special moon rock and remember that "most trusted man" who walked us through the space program, from its birth and infancy to its most exalted moments. Space flight in the 20th century was a giant leap forward in the history of humankind, and Walter Cronkite was the voice, teacher, and interpreter of wondrous things that had never been experienced before on our planet.
And so we thank Mr. Cronkite and congratulate him for a lifetime of unparalleled achievement.
This impressive gift to The University of Texas is one among the many ways Walter Cronkite supports this institution. He chose UT's Center for American History to house his papers. We now have the definitive collection that documents his illustrious career, including his files related to coverage of the space program.
He has also been an adjunct faculty member in UT's College of Communication and taught an honors seminar in 1988. The Walter Cronkite Regents Chair in Communication, named in his honor, is reserved for the dean of the college.
In 1964, the University gave him our Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Over the past 40 years, is there any voice in America more recognizable than Walter Cronkite's? He has graciously agreed to let us use that distinctive voice on a series of Longhorn television spots that air nationally during games. And he is also the voice of the UT Virtual Campus, a campus tour via the Internet. We thank him for keeping the good name of The University of Texas in the public eye.
We also want to thank NASA for coming to our campus today and honoring our distinguished alumnus -- the first non-astronaut to receive the Ambassador of Exploration award. The University of Texas continues to have a strong collaborative relationship with NASA.
There are several NASA-sponsored projects with UT researchers in astronomy, physics, and computer science.
The UT School of Engineering currently receives more than $21 million in research funding from NASA. Our engineers are working on major satellite systems that measure earth's gravity fields and topography. We're developing precision landing navigation for the exploration of Mars. And we're a partner in the NASA-funded Texas Space Grant Consortium, which includes 36 institutions that are making sure that space research, technology, and education are available to K-16 students and all Texans.
And so we thank NASA for their ongoing support of our university – and for bringing us together today to pay tribute to our special friend and mentor, Walter Cronkite.
Mr. Cronkite, it is always a great day in Texas when you return to our campus and share your memories of the way it was, and your wise counsel for the way it ought to be.
