WSU Common Reading Program Welcomes WSU Alumnus and U.S. Air Force Space Executive Richard W. McKinney for April 18 Lecture

PULLMAN, Wash.—Satellites, space, and policy are topics that Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Programs Richard W. McKinney will discuss at his presentation “How Does the U.S. Air Force Use Space?” Wednesday, April 18 for the Common Reading Program. The lecture will be at 7 p.m. in Todd 116 at Washington State University, and the public is invited.

McKinney earned his B.A. in business administration in marketing from WSU. A distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC on campus, he spent 28 years on active duty before retiring as a colonel in 2001. The following year, he was appointed to the prestigious Senior Executive Service, a corps of federal government executives charged with leading the continuing transformation of government.

In his current position, he provides guidance, direction, and oversight for the formulation, review, and execution of military space programs, which includes integrating military space activities between Air Force, National Reconnaissance Office, NASA, and other agencies and nations. He previously served as the Director for Space Acquisition in the Under Secretary’s office and was the Air Force liaison to Europe to facilitate and expand Air Force international cooperation on space with Europe.

A native of Lacey, Wash., he maintains strong ties to WSU by serving as a member of the WSU Foundation Board of Trustees, on the advisory board of the College of Business, on the campaign steering committee of the University College, and as the creator of the Richard McKinney Honors Study Abroad Scholarship in the Honors College at WSU.

McKinney’s presentation on April 18 is the final Common Reading Tuesdays lecture of the 2011-12 academic year. The faculty/guest expert lecture series is part of the Common Reading Program, which promotes dialogue between freshmen and the university community around topics in a shared book. This year the Common Reading book is “Physics for Future Presidents,” by U.C.-Berkeley retired professor Richard A. Muller.

While in Pullman, McKinney will meet with Honors College students to discuss careers in public service, and also with his scholarship recipient.

At 10:30 on April 19 in the Bundy Reading Room in Avery Hall, McKinney will present “Space Policy 101” as a Coffee and Politics presentation hosted by the Foley Institute.

CONTACT: Karen Weathermon, Co-Director, Common Reading Program in the University College at WSU, 509-335-5488, kweathermon@wsu.edu
Beverly Makhani, Director, Communications, University College at WSU, 509-335-6679, Makhani@wsu