Preparing for a Life in Academia

After the war, Warfield returned to the University of Missouri to finish his undergraduate coursework. He was admitted to membership in several Greek honor societies for his excellent performance in the classroom. In June 1948, he completed both his original Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. The ASTP had transformed the course of his career, which was now solidly focused on Electrical Engineering.

Even before completing his undergraduate coursework, Warfield already had eyes on the future. In the summer of 1947, he sat for the Graduate Record Examination, a stepping-stone to postgraduate studies. Warfield scored above the 98th percentile on the special test for mathematics. The early computer punchcard shown here details his test results. Just sixth months after completing his dual Bachelor's degrees, Warfield completed a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Penn State: First Teaching Position

A newly minted graduate of the University of Missouri, Warfield began to investigate opportunities for employment in academia. He had some experience as a professor, having instructed undergraduates while a student at Missouri. Early in 1949, he was offered his first full-time position on the faculty of a university, at Penn State. His offer letter is shown here. It is signed by Eric Walker, a future President of Penn State University.

Postwar Success

In the fall of 1949, Warfield returned to Penn State, his home for much of his service in the Army. He had taken his first steps into the field of Electrical Engineering there in the ASTP, and now he would be instructing new students in the same field. The photo at right was taken near the campus of Penn State in the fall of 1949.

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Warfield continued his work as an instructor in Electrical Engineering at Penn State for the next several years, but began to spread himself in a number of different directions. He performed classified research for the Ordnance Research Laboratory at Penn State. He also worked towards a doctorate at Purdue University during summers and breaks. By August 1952, he had completed his PhD from Purdue University, with a dissertation titled "Synthesis of Slowly-Variable Systems." The dissertation can be found found in the George Mason University MARS collection, here.