UNA Pressroom

Una's Fall Commencement To Feature Marshall Space Flight Center's Jonathan Pettus.

Nov. 29, 2017



Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

Bryan Rachal,

University Communications

FLORENCE, Ala.- Jonathan Pettus, associate director of the Marshall Space Flight Center and UNA alumnus, will be the featured commencement speaker at the University of North Alabama fall graduation ceremonies. UNA will host two commencement ceremoniesSaturday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m., and 2 p.m., in Flowers Hall. Pettus will speak at both events.

As the associate director of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Pettus isresponsible for leading the institutional operations of one of NASA's largest field installations, with approximately 6,000 civil service and contract personnel, an annual budget of approximately $2.5 billion, 4.5 million square feet of infrastructure and a broad spectrum of human spaceflight, science and technology development.

Pettus previously served as MSFC'sChief Information Officer and was responsible for leading the delivery and operations of information technology solutions to enable Marshall's programs and mission, including the center's computing infrastructure, communications networks and software systems. He was also responsible for the computing, software, and telecommunications services that supported the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle Program, and the development of the new Space Launch System.

Among his many achievements, Pettus has represented NASA to Congress, the White House, and the Office of Management and Budget on matters related to NASA's Information Technology. He also served on the United States Chief Information Officer Council that guides the IT strategy and infrastructure of the Federal Government.

Pettus has also received numerous awards and special recognitions, including a Distinguished Presidential Rank award given by the President to the top 1 percent of government executives in the nation. The Distinguished Presidential Rank is the highest award a U.S. Federal Government executive can receive.

Pettus and his wife Angela live in Athens, along with their two children, Jackson and Alyssa.

A full bio and photo of Jonathan Pettus can be found here:https://www.una.edu/university-communications/press/jonathan-q.-pettus.html

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programsthrough the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business,Education and Human Sciences, and the Anderson College of Nursing.Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. UNA also operates arenownedcollegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference.The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age or national origin.

http://www.una.edu/