A former Chrysler CEO is returning this month to Kansas University, his alma mater, to serve as homecoming grand marshal and to speak to KU engineering students.

Bob Eaton, who received a mechanical engineering degree from KU in 1963, will ride in the KU homecoming parade and will receive special recognition at halftime of the Oct. 23 football game against Texas A&M. The parade will head down Jayhawk Boulevard two hours before kickoff, which hasn’t been scheduled yet.

Eaton will speak to engineering students, faculty, staff and special guests at 3 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Spahr Classroom in Eaton Hall.

Eaton spent nearly 30 years with General Motors, before he left GM in 1992 to become chairman and CEO of Chrysler Corp. He retired in 2000.

In 2003 Eaton gave $5 million to the engineering school to help with completion of the building that now bears his name.