Eileen Collins

press release: The Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) committee welcomes astronaut Eileen Collins to speak at Shannon Hall in the Memorial Union on Nov. 14 from 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Collins is a highly accomplished astronaut who is best known for being the first female to both pilot and command an American spacecraft. Before being selected for the astronaut program by NASA in 1990, Collins served as a math instructor, test pilot, and also served as a decorated colonel for the United States Air Force. She has received numerous awards crediting her various achievements, including a place in the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, crediting her role as the first female commander of the 1999 Columbia mission.

Collins is a prime example of hard work and grit, as she has overcome adversity time after time as she made her way to becoming the astronaut she had always dreamed of becoming. She worked various jobs as a young adult in order to pay for her own community college as well as flying lessons before transferring to Syracuse University, Stanford University, and finally Webster University, earning degrees in Mathematics, Economics, Operations Research, and Space Systems Management. Her story is an inspiration to many, and the effects of her success are not lost on her. “I want to do well because I know that I’m representing other women, other pilots, military pilots as well as civilian pilots who are hoping to come here to NASA and be pilots themselves for the space shuttle”.

Sign Language interpreting and CART captioning will be provided.

Please join Distinguished Lecture Series for an evening with Eileen Collins. The doors to Memorial Union's Shannon Hall will open at 7:00 PM.

Lecture is open and FREE to both students and the public, and will end with a 30 minute Q&A.