Friday, Oct. 8, named Viking 45 Day in Bellingham
Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike named Oct. 8, 2010, Western Washington University Vehicle Research Institute Viking 45 Day in Bellingham in honor of the team's success at the recent Progressive Automotive X PRIZE competition. WWU finished in the Top 10 and was the highest-finishing U.S. university.
A crowd of well-wishers gathered on the WWU campus Friday for a celebration in honor of the team. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D - Everett) also spoke at the ceremony, mentioning some words he entered into the Congressional Record in late September. Also speaking were WWU President Bruce Shepard, Associated Students President Colin Watrin (who read an AS proclamation about the VRI), College of Sciences and Technology Dean Arlan Norman and VRI Director Eric Leonhardt.
A number of the students who worked on Viking 45 have graduated, but a handful were at the celebration Friday.