Webster University Alumna Commands Space Mission
Posted on: Monday, 11 July 2005, 18:00 CDT
ST. LOUIS, July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- When Eileen Collins (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) takes the helm of NASA's Discovery "Return to Flight" mission on July 13, she'll be soaring into space with the eyes of thousands of Webster University faculty, staff, students and alumni watching. Collins and her six- person crew are scheduled to depart the Kennedy Space Center at 3:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Collins received a Master of Arts degree in Space Systems Management from the Webster's Colorado Springs campus in 1989.
"I have complete confidence in NASA's technical excellence and in Commander Collins' astronautical skills and judgment," says Webster University President Richard S. Meyers. "But, it's different this time. I know Eileen. I went to the STS-93 liftoff and she has visited our home campus in St. Louis. She has become a friend. The truth is, I'm feeling protective -- like a father. I am proud and full of admiration for this remarkable woman who is a pioneer in space and a pioneer right here on Earth. Every American, especially every American woman, should salute Commander Collins and her accomplishments."
Collins first made history in 1999 as the commander of the STS-93 Columbia, making her the first female commander in NASA's 37-year long history of space flight.
Lisa Reed, an adjunct professor at Webster University in Space Bioastronautics, trained Collins and other crew members at the Johnson Space Center in Houston for the 1999 STS-93 mission, saying, "NASA did a good job. They knew when they picked Eileen [for the program] that she would be the first female commander of a space shuttle. Eileen stood the test and weathered it well. She realized the importance of an astronaut's job and the importance of being a female role model for future generations."
"Collins' journey to space is not a solo effort," says Webster University School of Business & Technology Dean Benjamin Ola. Akande. "She carries with her the resiliency of all those who strive to obtain the knowledge that liberates, empowers and demonstrates to the men, women, boys and girls who live in the hope that there is a path to success and it begins with the courage to embrace opportunity."
Webster University's faculty, staff and students in St. Louis will gather at the University Center Commons Wednesday afternoon to watch the launch.
Webster University
CONTACT: Polly Burtch, Director, News and Public Information, of WebsterUniversity, +1-314-968-6954, cell, +1-314-565-5741
Web site: http://www.webster.edu/
Source: PRNewswire
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