Retired astronaut, SEMO alum Linda Godwin to speak at Power of Women Luncheon and Expo

Retired NASA astronaut Linda Godwin was recently announced as the keynote speaker for Southeast Missouri State University's 13th annual Power of Women Luncheon and Expo on Friday, March 1, at the Show Me Center.

Godwin — a Jackson native — began working for NASA in 1980 and was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1985. During her career as an astronaut, she took part in four space shuttle flights and spent more than 38 days in space.

Godwin is a 1970 graduate of Jackson High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics from SEMO in 1974 before finishing her academic career at the University of Missouri.

"We wanted to bring her to campus to give everyone a chance to actually meet her and hear her story live," said Brad Koester, SEMO's major gift officer of University Advancement. "She was a pioneer in her field. There were hardly any women in NASA, especially going to space. She's a leader in her field, and we think that she'll deliver an empowering message."

SEMO launched the Power of Women Expo and Luncheon in 2012 to encourage women across the region to support the university through service and philanthropy. The event was designed to connect female students with financial resources and potential role models to support their education.

The expo begins at 10 a.m. and features booths from local businesses, community groups and campus organizations. The luncheon will follow at 11:45 a.m., featuring Godwin's keynote.

"It's a really good networking event for businesswomen, and it helps students get involved," Koester said. "They can network with local businesswomen — there are some men there, too — and it helps promote women empowerment."

Tickets and additional information for the event are available at www.semo.edu/powerofwomen. Individual tickets cost $35 apiece, table packages are available for $200, and an expo booth package is available for $500. Currently enrolled SEMO students interested in attending may do so for free and may register on the website.

"I've talked to some of the students (who attended) and, especially last year, the event was really well received," Koester said.

A portion of the ticket proceeds go to the Power of Women scholarship program, which has awarded 85 scholarships to female SEMO students since being established. This year, scholarships were given out to 10 recipients.

"If they're eligible, they'll get an email from SEMO financial services, and all you have to do is write an essay," Koester said. "They write an essay describing their experience in volunteerism and community service and what they're going to do after SEMO. Then, the committee, we read all the essays, we select however many we're going to award, and then we select the amount."