Tom Bevill is shown at center. Also attending the ribbon cutting are Bill Chappel Jr., U.S. Rep. Ronnie Flippo, Dr. Walter G. Nunn, and Lt. Gen. E.R. Heiberg III.
UAH organized the conference as part of the annual John Sparkman Symposium on United States Foreign Policy. According to the 1979 conference proceedings, the symposium was "founded to bring major issues in United States foreign policy to public discussion by providing a forum in which scholars and experts from government or the private sector might meet." The conference featured speakers including historians, military officers, political scientists, and politicians from Huntsville and across the United States.
Interim President Joseph Moquin is shown fourth from left next to Homecoming Queen Julie Preston and King Matt Iley. Preston and Iley were crowned at a UAH hockey game against the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.