Retired Navy Commander John B. Herrington, ’83, aviator, test pilot, aquanaut and astronaut, will address UCCS graduates and their families at the fall 2024 Commencement ceremony, to be held Dec. 20.
Cmdr. Herrington will serve as the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Speaker and will deliver the ceremony’s Commencement address. As an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, NASA considers Herrington to be the first citizen of a Federally recognized tribe to fly in space.
Herrington holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from UCCS, a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Idaho. Herrington also received an honorary doctorate from UCCS in 2003.
As an astronaut, Cmdr. Herrington flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the 16th assembly mission to the International Space Station in 2002. On board the shuttle, Herrington brought a CU-Colorado Springs pennant and carried with him two symbols of his heritage, a Chickasaw Nation flag and eagle feathers given to him by several other tribal nations. The feathers represented strength and courage. Throughout the 13-day mission, he traveled over 5.6 million miles and accumulated over 330 hours in space.
Herrington continues to be active in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, visiting the campus AISES chapter in 1998 and 2003 and serving on the national organization’s board of directors.
In 2004, Herrington served as commander of the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 6 Mission where he lived and worked underwater for ten days.
Following his retirement from the Navy and NASA in 2005, Cmdr. Herrington worked in the commercial space sector before embarking on a 4,300-mile bicycle ride across the United States, from Cape Flattery, Wash. to Cape Canaveral Flor., stopping at Indian reservations and NASA Explorer Schools to share his story of motivation and mentorship with Native American youth.
At age 52, he entered the University of Idaho and earned a Doctorate in Education, investigating the factors that motivate and engage Native American students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Herrington authored a children’s book entitled “Mission to Space.” He is working on his personal memoir.
Cmdr. Herrington is married with two daughters and is a grandfather to four grandchildren. He lives in Northwest Montana with his wife Danielle, their sled dog Emme and calico cat Ladybug.
The fall 2024 Commencement exercises will begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the Broadmoor World Arena. Ceremony information is available online.