Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is singing the praises of the commencement guest speaker, Robert Wilson of Honeywell, and congratulating its graduates. The ceremony was held at Tim’s Toyota Center this month. The graduating class includes 24 Air Force ROTC and 15 Army ROTC students receiving military commissions. 16 of the 24 commissioned officers received rated slots to become pilots in the world’s best Air Force. In addition, the graduating class included 72 veterans—38 from the Prescott Campus and 34 from the sorldwide campuses. This is the first time Embry-Riddle has utilized Tim’s Toyota Center for graduation ceremonies, and the event was well received by participants and guests alike. Utilizing the local event venue not only allowed additional capacity for the crowd of around 3,000 to comfortably enjoy the festivities in a climate controlled environment with ample parking, but also allowed for technological enhancements such as Jumbotron viewing of the stage from the audience and live video streaming.
For the first time in history, the College that graduated the most students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University was the College of Security and Intelligence—the first of its kind in the nation—followed closely by the College of Engineering, the College of Aviation, and the College of Arts and Sciences.
The commencement guest speaker, Robert Wilson, was president of Business & General Aviation for Honeywell Aerospace, where he leads the business unit serving customers who make, operate and maintain business jets, general aviation aircraft and civil helicopters.
In 2010 he was chairman of the board of the executive committee of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, a group that represents more than 65 of the world’s leading manufacturers of fixed-wing general aviation airplanes, engines, avionics and components.
Previously, Wilson was vice president and general manager of Honeywell’s military aircraft business, with total business accountability for the guidance and navigation product line; for aircraft components, including air data components and radar altimeters; and for the displays and integrated systems product lines. As vice president of the HTF7000 product line, Wilson led the team that certified Honeywell’s first all-new jet engine in more than 30 years
During commencement Wilson received the university’s Eagle of Aviation Award.
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 70 baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Engineering. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube
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