Wilmore reflected on key “transformation points” in his life
Tennessee Tech University gathered students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders Friday for the dedication of Wilmore Way, a new pedestrian walkway and plaza that extends through the heart of campus and is named in honor of two-time Tech graduate, university trustee and retired NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore.
“I think the three-letter word that comes out of my mouth is ‘wow,’” Wilmore said during the dedication ceremony. “I can’t thank you enough. I can’t thank the university enough. This feels like family—it really does.”
Wilmore reflected on key “transformation points” in his life, highlighting his faith journey as the most significant, and describing his student experience at Tech as another period of profound transformation.
Wilmore Way.
“My favorite colors are purple and gold, and have been for decades because of this place,” he said. “I love this university. This place is special.”
Wilmore, who retired from NASA earlier this year after 25 years of service—including a recent, unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station that made him a household name—first enrolled at Tech in 1981. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Eugene, who earned a degree from Tech in 1958. Wilmore joined the Golden Eagle football team as a walk-on for the 1982 season and remained on the roster through 1985.
Wilmore holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Tech in electrical engineering. He was inducted into the Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, received an honorary doctorate from Tech in 2012, was appointed to the university’s Board of Trustees in 2017 and received the Order of the Eagle Award—the university’s highest honor—earlier this year.
Tech President Phil Oldham described Wilmore Way as not only a functional means for students to navigate campus, but also a symbol of inspiration.
“It’s a great privilege to dedicate this walkway as Wilmore Way,” Oldham said. “It’s more than just a path—it’s a story, and hopefully a story that inspires us all to be that much better and to dream that much bigger than we ever did before.”
Also over the weekend, Wilmore served as grand marshal for Tech’s annual homecoming parade, leading the procession before the Golden Eagle football team took on Gardner-Webb University, winning 27-21 to move to 9-0 for the first time since 1952.
Learn more about Wilmore Way at www.tntech.edu/about/wilmoreway.php.
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