Robert Jeffers Jeffers

Joined Westinghouse Defense and Space Center in Baltimore, MD as the first Black Engineer, as an associate. After 6 years and several promoting worked my way up to Senior Systems Engineer. Was responsible for Systems and Field Engineering on a host of Fire Control Radar, and Avionics Systems platform at various Naval Air Stations, USAF Bases, and aboard multiple Aircraft Carriers.
Joined Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL and once again became the first Black Engineer to be hired in the System Test and Integrations Department. Supervised and Managed a host of US Army Missile Systems, Navy Systems, and a host of Special Research and Development Programs most of which I can't talk about. Retired on 12/31/2008 after 37 years in Engineering and Program Management for Special Programs Research and Development Department for Advance Systems Development.

This is one story that I don't think that I could ever forget. One Saturday around noon in Moton Hall (Dorm Room 320) before one on the HI Football Games there were several on us having a per-game celebration in my room with a counter full of "Adult Beverages". Need less to say we were sort of "Loud". Someone must have been trying to study, anyway our door was closed when there was this loud knock. The funny part is that we all (Gene Wilds, Rudy Robinson, Hosea Frazier, Fat Daddy, Michael Felton, Dino, and several more guys) new the knock, and there was total silence for 4 or 5 seconds, as if how can we hide all these Adult Beverages? Finally Gene W. says "I got this" just open the door, so I go to the door and open and yes just as expected it was Dean Hawkins (Dean of Men). I turn around to look back and my sack (Gene W) has both arms out as to hide the bottles and says, Hi Dean! Dean Hawkins says in a calm voice, "Hold the noise down", grins and leaves. The funny part is Gene at the time weighted maybe, 135 lbs soaking wet and was tall and skinny. He was covering maybe two bottles at most!