Astronaut Colonel Eileen Collins will come to Wichita State University to speak on “Leadership Lessons from Apollo to Discovery” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, in the CAC Theater. Collins will share her experiences as a test pilot, astronaut and space flight commander from her more than 20-year career.

Tickets will be available at the door of the CAC Theater beginning at 6 p.m. WSU students with ID will receive free admission, and ticket rates for faculty and staff are $5, with $10 tickets available to the public.

The first woman to pilot and command an American Spacecraft, Collins has led an inspiring life of adventure, leadership and achievement. The female trailblazer was named an astronaut by NASA in 1990, after which she quickly went on to become the first female pilot on a space shuttle with the Discovery flight in 1995. In 1999, she became the first female commander on the Columbia flight. The Columbia mission sparked interest among women and landed Collins in the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.

For her final mission, Collins commanded the space shuttle Discovery's historic “Return to Flight.” This was NASA's first manned flight following the February 2003 loss of the space shuttle Columbia. During her NASA career, Collins was known for her calmness and cool demeanor under pressure, logging 872 hours in space.