Astronaut offers career advice to local female students

In the 1960s, Mae Jemison told her kindergarten teacher she wanted to be a scientist. The teacher responded, “Don’t you mean a nurse?”

“There is nothing wrong with being a nurse, but she at the time was trying to gear me to a job she thought I could get as a girl,” Jemison said. “I said, ‘No, I mean a scientist.’ I was sort of offended that she doubted that I even knew what a scientist was.”

When Jemison grew older, she told a friend she wanted to go into space. The friend laughed at her. In 1992, she became the first black female astronaut to enter space.

Jemison, now the president and founder of two medical technology companies, visited the University of Missouri-Kansas City on Oct. 1 as part of the school’s Starr Symposium. The event was hosted by the UMKC Women’s Center and UMKC Women’s Council.

First she addressed a group of female students from the university and area high schools that are part of the Starr Women Leaders mentorship program. Jemison spoke about her experience and the importance of setting goals and following dreams.

“You have to figure out what you intend to be,” Jemison said. “… It is not so much what someone tells you or allows you to be what they can see you can be.” 

Jemison shared how she was able to continue to be a dancer during medical school. She loved exploring, so she joined the Peace Corps and offered her medical knowledge for two-and-a-half years in Africa.

She also made a guest appearance on an episode of “Star Trek” and started an international science camp for young adults through her own foundation.

Many of her achievements were a result of following her interests.

“I did not really want to be an astronaut, I just wanted to go into space,” Jemison said. “I wanted to explore … but I knew I couldn’t stand in a cornfield in Kansas waiting on E.T. to pick me up.”

Jemison asked students about their own goals.

“Why are you majoring in biology?” she asked. “What will you do when you get a lot of money?”

Jemison emphasized the importance of using each of the 86,400 seconds in a day.

“Every one of those seconds is very, very special because you can do with each of those seconds exactly as you please,” Jemison said. “You can’t ever get a single one of those back. What you chose to do with your time is extremely important.”

Jemison’s speech was encouraging to UMKC senior chemistry student Trisha Van Wig, who said it is easy to get bogged down by the technical aspects of the field.

“It is nice to see the big picture,” Van Wig said. “It is good to see that she explored those interests.”

Later, Jemison spoke at the annual symposium, discussing the importance of women and minorities pursuing careers in science and technology.

“It is always good to see a woman in a leadership role in a field that women are challenged to enter into,” Arzie Umali, Women’s Center assistant director, said.

Science and engineering fields typically are dominated by men, Umali said.

“To see not only a woman, but a woman of color excel and be a leader in the field is a great way to role model for our young women, as we encourage them to go into fields and let them know it is not a field they should be afraid to enter,” she said.

Miyako Rauls, a junior nursing student, said she would take Jemison’s ideas with her.

“You can do big things,” Rauls said. “It makes me want to fight more and work to get even halfway where she is.”

The symposium is named for philanthropist Martha Jane Starr and is funded by the Family Study Center Endowment and overseen by the UMKC Starr Education Committee.

The symposium began in 1992 when organizers decided a forum was needed to address women’s issues and family concerns. The symposium brings nationally known experts in women’s issues to work with community leaders to examine ways to eliminate barriers facing women.

The Starr Women Leaders Program is designed to provide social support and increase leadership competence umong undergrad women to strengthen leadership at UMKC and in the community.

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