▁the ▁university ' s ▁direction ▁changed ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁when ▁W ern her ▁von ▁Braun , ▁a ▁German ▁ro cket ▁scient ist ▁brought ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁under ▁Operation ▁Pap erc lip ▁after ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁Naz i ▁regime , ▁helped ▁create ▁a ▁research ▁inst itute ▁to ▁provide ▁advanced ▁engineering ▁and ▁science ▁curr ic ula ▁to ▁NASA ▁scient ists ▁and ▁engine ers . ▁ ▁U A H ' s ▁first ▁under grad uate ▁degrees ▁were ▁awarded ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁spring ▁comm enc ement ▁ceremony ▁at ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama , ▁T us cal o osa , ▁( although ▁a ▁" cap ▁and ▁g own " ▁ceremony ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Hun ts ville ). ▁One ▁year ▁later , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁System ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁voted ▁to ▁make ▁U A H ▁an ▁independent ▁and ▁autonom ous ▁campus . ▁Dr . ▁Benjamin ▁Gra ves , ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Mississippi ▁and ▁president ▁of ▁M ills aps ▁College ▁in ▁Jackson , ▁Mississippi , ▁was ▁t apped ▁as ▁U A H ' s ▁first ▁president ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁fac ulty ▁status ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁The ▁first ▁degree ▁awarded ▁for ▁work ▁completed ▁entirely ▁on ▁the ▁U A H ▁campus ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁Julian ▁Pal more ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁Mr . ▁Pal more ▁was