The 2009 astronaut class has been announced by NASA and among the nine individuals is Air Force Lt. Colonel Michael S. Hopkins, an aerospace engineering graduate from the University of Illinois.
Michael S. Hopkins, Lt. Colonel U.S. Air Force, 40, of Alexandria, Va.; special assistant to the Vice Chairman (Joint Chiefs of Staff) at the Pentagon; born in Lebanon, Mo. Hopkins holds degrees from the University of Illinois and Stanford University.
“This is a very talented and diverse group we’ve selected,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for Space Operations. “They will join our current astronauts and play very important roles for NASA in the future. In addition to flying in space, astronauts participate in every aspect of human spaceflight, sharing their expertise with engineers and managers across the country. We look forward to working with them as we transcend from the shuttle to our future exploration of space, and continue the important engineering and scientific discoveries aboard the International Space Station.”
Congratulations to Mr. Hopkins and the rest of the class! Go Illini!
Jeff Jordan has recently elected not to continue with the Fighting Illini basketball team. Jordan has been a reserve point guard for the last two years. He intends to stay at Illinois and focus on his academics.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of Champaign’s Illinois Terminal. This four story building on 45 E. University Ave. is a transportation hub offering train and bus services to C-U area residents. The building also houses a Subway Sandwich shop on the first floor, offices for state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, the Junior League and READY School facilities on the third floor, and the fourth floor features a banquet room that can be rented out for private events.
Today is a big day on the calendar. I mean, it’s June 21st! Father’s Day, the first day of summer (known as the Summer Solstace), the day with the most amount of daylight, and not to mention my half-birthday.
This is the 500th post for The Quad. We’ve been sharing the good news of the University of Illinois for over two years since our first post on May 15th, 2007. We’ve seen the removal of Chief Illiniwek, an Illinois Football Rose Bowl visit, multiple Facebook redesigns, an impeached Governor, and one of the most historic presidential elections in modern history Through it all, we’ve been here, with you. We’d like to thank you, our readers, for suporting us throughout the years.
