By Annabelle Blair | Echo
"The broad (education) is important, but go deep in something you're passionate about."
Since retiring from his job as a professor in Taylor's engineering and physics department in February, Hank Voss has worked full time at the company he co-founded in 2014, NearSpace Launch (NSP) Inc.
The company works closely with faculty and students from Taylor and other universities across the nations as well as holding a contract with the U.S. Air Force and NASA. Through partnerships, NSP and Taylor built and launched the first commercial satellite from Indiana in 2014. They've completed two more since Voss's retirement. "It's been fun to be able to do work that's (my) hobby-to do the work that (I) enjoy, and help students," Voss said.
Although he still works full time, Voss is enjoying retirement, including taking a 3,000 mile trip to visit his grandchildren in different parts of the States and running a half-marathon. He's also working on construction and land maintenance projects with a planned visit this spring to visit his daughter and a few of the universities in Senegal, West Africa.
Voss said he relished his time spent with students, mentoring, meeting one-on-one to build relationships and visiting them after they left Taylor. "You get to see (students) develop and grow and succeed in society; those are my best memories," he said.
Voss made the move from the California's Silicon Valley to Upland, Indiana, with his (then) eight children and wife in 1994. The move occurred as a result of Voss's desire to do more research and his oldest son's quest for a Christian college.
"It was just a miracle," said Voss, "Because I wasn't looking at coming to university, but Taylor was a good opportunity." He likes to joke that he came to college with his son.
Starting the engineering program and designing Euler Science Complex with students are two of Voss's major accomplishments at Taylor.
"Dr. Voss's legacy is a space program that continues strong even after his exit," said Stephen Papierski, ELEO-Sat Project Manager. "The space program has helped me mature professionally in countless ways."
Hank Voss is one of several faculty members retiring at Taylor in 2016.
