NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ginger Kerrick, Flight Director for NASA, will speak at the first 2023 The Ray & Stella Dillon Lecture Series on Tues., February 21 @ 10:30 a.m.
"She wanted to be an astronaut," said HutchCC President Dr. Carter File. "That was kind of her life's goal. Because of an unknown medical condition, she was unable to pursue that passion. She participated in space in the way that she could, that is to help astronauts and missions from the ground."
Ginger is an American physicist who began her career at NASA as a Materials and Research Engineer in 1994. In 2005, she became NASA’s first Hispanic female Flight Director, serving from 2005-2012.
"I would put the Dillon Lecture Series up against any lecture series in the Midwest," File said. "The Dillon Lecture Series is an eclectic lecture series."
As is customary for DLS speakers, Kerrick will have a press conference prior to her speech at the Sports Arena. It's a great opportunity for students to go deeper with the speaker.
"Not only do we have our student publications represented, which is great testing for those youngsters to be a part of those and pose questions to these very prominent people, from time to time, we'll have a local high school journalism class that says, hey, we'd like to come and observe," said college spokesperson Denny Stoecklein. "We tell them, well, there's more to it than observing. If you're going to come and see this press conference, you are expected to participate and ask questions. It really kind of doesn't put them on the spot so much, but it helps them grasp what that's all about and get some interaction."
There is also a luncheon with the speaker and patrons of the series. Email [email protected] to learn more about how to become a patron.
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