Dr. Mae Jemison is nothing short of extraordinary. Being the first African-American woman in space, it seems fitting that she would be the keynote speaker on Wednesday, February 17, at the Extraordinary Women Lecture at Auburn University. The event is presented by Auburn Women's Leadership Alliance Symposium at the Auburn Hotel and Conference Center. The function will begin at 4:00 and is open to the public.

Being a pioneer in the realm of women's leadership, Dr. Jemison embodies several lines of the Auburn Creed:

" I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work. "

Growing up in a supportive home, Dr. Jemison was encouraged to explore her talents at a young age. While she was gifted academically, her success is the result of studying, practice and dedication.

"I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully. "

Before Dr. Jemison was an astronaut, she was a National Achievement Scholarship recipient at Stanford University. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Stanford and a M.D. from Cornell University. After practicing medicine for several years, she applied to NASA's astronaut training program.

" I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all. "

During her years at Cornell, Dr. Jemison worked at a refugee camp in Thailand while studying in Cuba and Kenya. Between the time of practicing general medicine to applying for NASA's program, she joined the Peace Corps. As the medical officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia, she learned many lessons that she carried with her to space.

"Sometimes people ask me how difficult the astronaut program was, but being in Sierra Leone, being responsible for the health of more than 200 people, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at age 26 - that prepared me to take on a lot of different challenges," she expressed.