Texas Tech University

Commencement Speakers

August 2020

Kerrick

Commecement Speaker: Ms. Ginger Kerrick 

Ms. Ginger Kerrick of Webster, Texas, was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Board of Regents of the Texas Tech University System on March 6, 2019. She currently serves as a member on the Academic, Clinical and Student Affairs Committee and the Audit Committee. Her term expires on Jan. 31, 2025.

Kerrick is the Deputy Director of the Exploration Integration and Sciences Directorate at NASA, Johnson Space Center.She began working for NASA as a summer intern in 1991 and started her first permanent assignment as Johnson Space Center in May of 1994 as a Materials Research Engineer. In 1995, she was reassigned to the Mission Operations Directorate as an instructor for the International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Life Support System. Her responsibilities include training development, simulator development and training conduct for both crew and flight controllers.

Kerrick served as NASA's first Russian Training Integration instructor in 1997 providing support to the first crew that would live onboard on the ISS. In 2001 she was selected as the first non-astronaut Capcom (short for Capsule Communicator), the person in Mission Control that speaks to the on-orbit crew. Later, in February of 2005, she was selected as a Flight Director. This selection made her the first female Hispanic Flight Director in the history of NASA.She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, volunteer coordinator for Triumphant Tails, Inc. and serves as the emcee for the annual Galveston Polar Plunge benefitting Special Olympics.Kerrick was recognized by the Texas Governor's Commission for Women for her outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the nation's space program, as well as her commitment to inspire others through giving back to her community.

In 2006, Kerrick was one of five women named to the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. She was named a distinguished alumna by Texas Tech University in 2004, and she also was recognized as a distinguished alumna in 2012 by the Texas Tech Alumni Association.

Kerrick was a two-year member (2014-15) of the Board of Directors for the Texas Tech Alumni Association serving on the Scholarship, Chapter Development and Academic Recruitment Committees. In 2015, Kerrick taught in the STEM Master of Business Administration program at Texas Tech University's Rawls College of Business Administration.Kerrick received a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1991 and a Master of Science in physics in 1993 from Texas Tech University. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas.

 

Previous Commencement Speakers

 

Chris snead

Chris Snead
Fall, 2019

Tedd L. Mitchell

Tom Stone
Fall, 2019

Tedd L. Mitchell

Tedd L. Mitchell
Fall, 2019

Susan Graham

Susan Graham
Spring, 2019

Barry Lopez

Barry Lopez
Spring, 2019

Edward E. Whitacre, Jr.

Edward E. Whitacre, Jr.
Fall, 2018

Lamar Smith

Lamar Smith
Summer, 2018

Jason Jenkins

Jason Jenkins
Spring, 2018

Abner Euresti

Abner Euresti
Fall, 2017

Jeffrey Noel Lastrapes

Jeffrey Noel Lastrapes
Summer, 2017

David J. Schmidly, Ph.D.

David J. Schmidly, Ph.D.
Spring, 2017

John T. Montford

John T. Montford
Fall, 2016

Andres Alcantar

Andres Alcantar
Summer, 2016

Mark Lanier

Mark Lanier
Spring, 2016

Marsha Sharp

Marsha Sharp
Fall, 2015

Mark Griffin

Mark Griffin
Summer, 2015

Arcilia Acosta

Arcilia Acosta
Spring, 2015

Dr. Mica R. Endsley-Jones

Dr. Mica R. Endsley-Jones
Fall, 2014

Douglas E. Barnhart

Douglas E. Barnhart
Summer, 2014

Kent Hance

Kent R. Hance
Spring, 2014

Dr. O. Wayne Isom

Dr. O. Wayne Isom
Fall, 2013

Paul L. Foster

Paul L. Foster
Fall, 2013

Duane Nellis

Duane Nellis
Summer, 2013

Senator Ted Cruz

Senator Ted Cruz
Spring, 2013

Congressman Randy Neugebauer

Congressman Randy Neugebauer
Spring, 2013

Ray Maybus

Ray Maybus
Fall, 2012

W. Mark Lanier

W. Mark Lanier
Spring, 2012

Jerry S Rawls

Jerry S. Rawls
Spring, 2012

Bernard T. Mittemeyer, M.D.

Edward E. Whitacre, Jr.
Fall, 2011

Bernard T. Mittemeyer, M.D.

Bernard T. Mittemeyer, M.D.
Summer, 2011

Ginger Kerrick

Ginger Kerrick
Fall, 2010

Judge Royal Furgeson

Judge Royal Furgeson
Spring, 2010

Chancellor Kent Hance

Chancellor Kent Hance
Fall 2009

Donald E. Powell

Donald E. Powell
August, 2009
Undergraduate Commencement

Karen P. Hughes

Ambassador Karen P. Hughes
May, 2009
Graduate School Commencement

Scott Pelley

Scott Pelley
May, 2009
Undergraduate School Commencement

Clay Sell

Clay Sell
August, 2008

Dr. Dale E. Klein

Dr. Dale E. Klein
Spring, 2008
Graduate School Commencement

James A. Barker, III

James A. Baker, III
Spring, 2008
Undergraduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Katharine Hayhoe
Fall, 2007
Graduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Paul L. Foster
Fall, 2007
Undergraduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
Fall, 2007
Undergraduate Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Geoff Wayne
August, 2007

Commencement Speakers

Dr. John W. Ryan
Spring, 2007
Graduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

The Honorable Roger Williams, Secretary of State
Fall, 2006
Undergraduate School Commencement

Grandmaster Susan Polger

Grandmaster Susan Polger
Spring, 2007
Undergraduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Dr. William M. Marcy
August, 2006

Commencement Speakers

Ambassador Gregory W. Engle
Fall, 2006
Graduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Margaret Spellings
Spring, 2006
Undergraduate Morning Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Dr. Shelby D. Hunt
Spring, 2006
Graduate School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Senator John Cornyn
Spring, 2006
Law School Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Dr. Donald R. Haragan
Spring, 2006
Undergraduate Afternoon Commencement

Commencement Speakers

Wyman Meinzer
Summer, 1999

Commencement Speakers

Dr. Kishor C. Mehta
May, 2005

Commencement Speakers

Carole Keeton Rylander
Fall, 1999

Commencement Speakers

George Bush
Spring, 1999

Commencement Speakers

George W. Bush
Spring, 1997

Commencement Speakers

Queen Noor of Jordan
Fall, 1996

Commencement