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Three Star General Patrick OReilly Makes PVAMU Top Pick For MDA TalentTuesday, October 27, 2009 PRAIRIE VIEW, TX-- As terrorism flourishes and threats against the United States and its allies increase, the Department of Defense is in constant need for young, motivated professionals. On Sept. 29, LTG Patrick J. O'Reilly, director, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), visited Prairie View A&M University to express the need for additional MDA employees. These employees will be located in Huntsville, Alabama; Dahlgren, Virginia; and Colorado Springs, Colorado and will play a major role in defending the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends against foreign ballistic missile threats. Accompanied by LTG (ret.) Julius W. Becton, the fifth president of Prairie View A&M, LTG O'Reilly began his visit with a meeting to discuss a formal relationship between the MDA and PVAMU with President George C. Wright. "While the workforce within the Agency is already diverse, we are constantly seeking new talent and ideas that a younger workforce often brings" said O'Reilly. With Prairie View's commended engineering program, LTG O'Reilly hoped that PVAMU was the ideal place to start recruiting new faces for the Missile Defense Career Development Program (MDCDP). He not only was impressed with the work being done in the classrooms but also with the military history of the University. Following the conference with President Wright, LTG O'Reilly attended a campus tour. LTG O'Reilly made several site visits to engineering facilities where he was given numerous demonstrations on the experiments that the students and professors are engaged in. Many of these projects are in conjunction with NASA, the Air Force and other major government organizations. "The students are working very hard on these projects. It's an honor to have someone of his caliber see the great things that our students are producing," expressed Kendall T. Harris, dean of the College of Engineering. To conclude LTG O'Reilly's trip to PVAMU, many students gathered in the Julius W. Becton, Jr. Auditorium where LTG O'Reilly presented the mission and goals of the MDA and what opportunities are available to PVAMU students in the areas of engineering, mathematics, business and graduates. "Many of our employees are in their early 50's and are not prepared to relocate their families," said O'Reilly. "Therefore, we need students like you to fill these positions." For more information on the Missile Defense Agency or to apply for a job, please visit www.mda.mil or www.beyondagame.com. Featured above: LTG Patrick J. O'Reilly (center) speaks with PVAMU Army ROTC students.
About Prairie View A&M University: Prairie View A&M University was founded in 1876 and is the second-oldest public institution of higher education in Texas. With an established reputation for producing engineers, corporate leaders, nurses and educators, the university offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs through eight colleges and schools. Prairie View A&M recently named its College of Engineering for alumnus Roy G. Perry and the university’s marching band, The Marching Storm, was featured as the lead band in the 2009 Rose Parade. A member of The Texas A&M University System, the university is dedicated to fulfilling its land-grant mission of achieving excellence in teaching, research and service. During the university’s 132-year history, more than 51,500 academic degrees have been awarded. For more information regarding PVAMU, visit www.pvamu.edu. |
