Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison will speak at this year’s commencement ceremony at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
RIT says Jemison, the first woman of color to go into space, will speak at the academic convocation on May 8. She will also receive an honorary doctor of science degree.
“Dr. Jemison is a trailblazer, from her groundbreaking experiences at NASA to her medical research and mission to enhance STEM education, and beyond,” RIT President Bill Sanders said in a statement. “She will undoubtedly inspire our graduates as they move on to their next adventure, to grasp every opportunity that comes their way, and to continue to be difference-makers in our world.”
Jemison went into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in Sept. 1992. She made 127 orbits around the Earth while on he mission.
After NASA, she became a college professor, started a consulting company, and has served as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and is on its council and chaired the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts External Council.
More information on the ceremony can be found on RIT’s website.