Eileen Collins to Speak at High Point Commencement | Wilmington News

High Point University is set to electrify its 2027 commencement with Eileen Collins — the first woman to pilot and command a space shuttle — delivering the keynote on May 1st. A trailblazer who flew four missions, including the historic 1995 rendezvous with Russia’s Mir and the 1999 deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Collins logged over 870 hours in space and became a symbol of perseverance after the Columbia disaster. Retired Air Force colonel and NASA veteran, she’s also a Hall of Fame inductee and author of her memoir “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars.” Her appearance follows Buzz Aldrin’s 2009 speech — but this time, High Point’s grads get to hear from a true pioneer who shattered ceilings and soared into history. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/df3b242629e66648