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 Eileen Collins, First Female Commander

       Lt. Col. Eileen Marie Collins is the first woman ever selected to be a space shuttle pilot and the first woman to command a space shuttle. Collins grew up with two brothers, a sister and two parents. Her entire family was very supportive of her. She has always been interested in pilots and was inspired by people like Amelia Earhart. She admired their courage "to go and fly into dangerous situations!" By 1977, she was able to earn a pilot's license and then the next year, she graduated from Syracuse University. She received good grades, had much flying experience and got a letter of recommendation from her ROTC supervisor. With all of these, she became one of the first women to go straight from college into Air Force pilot training. As you can see, this isn't the first time that she has been the first woman to do something. There is more to Eileen Collins then just her profession. She is also a wife and the mother of a young daughter. She met her husband in the military. Collins was born November 19, 1956, in Elmira, New York. She enjoys many activities such as running, golf, hiking, camping, reading, photography, astronomy. She graduated from Elmira Free Academy in 1974. In 1976 she received an associate in science degree in mathematics/science from Corning Community College. She got her bachelor of arts degree in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University in 1978. She also went to Stanford and recieved her master of science degree in operations research in 1986. Finally in 1989, she got her master of arts degree in space systems management from Webster University in 1989. Eileen Collins has recieved many honors. Some of these are: Defense Superior Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury, October 1983), and the NASA Space Flight Medal. Collins was chosen by NASA in January of 1990. She became an astronaut in July of 1991. At first she was assigned to Orbiter engineering support, and on the astronaut support team. "A veteran of three space flights, Collins has logged over 537 hours in space." She has been a pilot on STS-63 and STS-84, and is now, the first woman Shuttle commander on STS-93 (July 22-27, 1999). Commander Collins, when announced to be the First Woman Space Shuttle Commander on March 5, 1998, said, "When I was a child, I dreamed about space - I admired pilots, astronauts, and I've admired explorers of all kinds. It was only a dream that I would someday be one of them. It is my hope that all children, boys and girls, will see this mission and be inspired to reach for their dreams, because dreams do come true!"