For the University of Arizona commencement speaker this year, the sky is truly the limit.
Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to go into space, will speak to the UA class of 2019 at commencement on Friday, May 10. Jemison has a stellar resume.
She has experience as an engineer, physician, dancer, astronaut, educator and entrepreneur.
"I am so thrilled that Dr. Jemison will be sharing her wisdom with our graduates this year," UA President Robert Robbins said in a statement. "She is a true inspiration; her career, entrepreneurship and innovative spirit makes her an amazing person to help celebrate our Class of 2019. ..."
She was an astronaut for NASA for six years and went into space in 1992. Prior to that, Jemison earned her medical degree from Cornell University and worked as the Area Peace Corps Medical Officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia and as a general practice doctor in Los Angeles.
She founded two technology companies and the nonprofit Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, which promotes science literacy and STEM experiences for students in the U.S. and around the world, according to press materials.
But she didn't stop there.
One of her current initiatives, the 100 Year Starship, seeks to ensure interstellar travel for humans in the next 100 years while also improving life on earth.
Jemison has received numerous awards and honors, including inductions to the National Women's Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and sits on numerous boards, according to the UA press release.
You can find the LEGO version of her in the LEGO Women of NASA kit and spot her briefly on "Star Trek" — she's the first real astronaut to appear on the show. She also co-hosted National Geographic's "One Strange Rock" and provided insight for the mini-series "Mars."
Last year, Ray Mabus, former governor of Mississippi, secretary of the Navy and U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia spoke. In 2017, the commencement speaker was Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden Jr., former administrator of NASA. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the then-U.S. Surgeon General, spoke in 2016.
Commencement begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10 at Arizona Stadium, and seating is first-come, first-served. The clear bag policy is in effect. You can also watch a livestream via Arizona Public Media. Visit commencement.arizona.edu for more information.
