Columbus State University | The Saber
Campus Life
Sept 4, 2013 |
7
Members of CSU’s Servant Leadership Program discuss the speeches over lunch.
Jim Blanchard Forum speaker talks out of this world with the Saber
Captain Mark Kelly shares marriage, success, and advice for college students
Brandi Phillips
Staff Writer This year’s Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum took place on Aug. 26 and 27 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The informative and rewarding forum hosts some of the world’s most successful and tenacious individuals who impacted the country and lives of others. Fortunately, The Saber was able to conduct an exclusive interview with Capt. Mark Kelly. The retired astronaut and husband of Gabrielle Giffords was eager to do his only media interview while in town with The Saber. The Q&A follows: Q: Did you know all your life you wanted to be an astronaut? A: During the Apollo mission, I was really interested and like I’ll say tonight, I did have a goal to be the first person to walk on the planet of Mars when I was really younger, but I’m not going to go there. Although I’ve accomplished a lot in life, like going to space four times, I am not done yet. Q: Did you and your twin brother fly into space at the same time? A: No, we almost did. We flew in at different times. I had flown four flights to the International Space Station. He had flown three times, one including the Hubble Telescope. We almost went together though. Q: You got your Master’s degree in Engineering Science. What advice can you give college students at CSU and across the country? A: What I always tell kids, the best thing you can do for yourself is to work really hard and get good grades and learn as much as you can. The reason why is because this allows you to do as many opportunities to make decisions about your life; it gives you choices. You can graduate from college and have a lot of choices of where to work and where to go, you’ll be happier in what career field you go to as opposed to the person at the bottom of the class who gets one option, the only option they have – flipping burgers. I’ve always had a job I loved since I’ve been out of college. Before that, I did not like mopping the floor at Dairy Queen. It pays to do well in school. Captain Mark Kelly is a retired US Navy Captain, author of books he and his wife wrote, prostate cancer survivor, and advocate for gun control. Kelly flew commissions during the Gulf War and was selected to become a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996; four years later, he flew his first mission. In 2011, Kelly and Giffords were shoved into media limelight when Giffords suffered a gun wound to her head during an attempted assassination. Luckily, she survived and seven months later she returned to the White House to miraculously vote on the debt ceiling bill. Since then they both have become advocates for gun ?? ??[? \???[? ?H[?]?[? ?\?YH?[\ZY?[?]Y8?'[Y\?X?[?????\???X?H?? ][???'B??