Dan Quayle, 44th Vice President of the United States, took an opportunity to learn more about the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and its unique mission of defense-relevant graduate education and research, during a visit to the university campus, Aug. 5. Quayle toured the campus as a guest of the NPS Alumni Association and Foundation (NPSAAF).

“The students and faculty at NPS presented an outstanding set of briefings and lab tours that highlighted some of the critical areas of national security research that left the former vice president impressed and interested in further engagement with the school and the foundation," said NPSAAF Chief Executive Officer Rich Patterson.

Quayle was already familiar with NPS, but expressed an interest in learning more about the research performed on campus. Introductory briefs on several current projects and focal areas, provided by university students and faculty, left the former VP impressed ... And with an appetite for more.

“We wanted Mr. Quayle to meet the students and faculty members so he could hear from them first-hand about their research and how the results will be brought back into the field,” said Patterson. “And it was important for him to hear directly from President Rondeau.”

Following his series of tours and briefs around campus, Patterson said the breadth and depth of the research taking place on campus, some of which is seeded through support provided by NPSAAF, piqued the interest of the former vice president. Quayle also remarked about how impressed he was with the thoughtful intelligence demonstrated by the university’s unique student body.

Founded in 1970, the NPS Alumni Association & Foundation advances the mission of the university through the support of the institution’s key strategic priorities. In addition to supporting student experience opportunities, such as recreational clubs and community events, the NPSAAF fuels research through its Defense Innovation Fund, supports student/faculty awards and campus lecture series, and much more.