Astronaut Suni Williams honored at Merrimack College commencement
"I wish everybody had the opportunity to take the view, you know get a lap around the planet and take a view," Williams told WBZ-TV.
On Thursday, she was at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts to speak to graduating students.
Williams expected to be on the International Space Station for eight days, instead, she was stuck there for nine months.
"Stop for a moment"
It's there she learned a lesson; one she imparted on the graduates as their commencement speaker. That lesson is to pivot.
"Yes, we could have worried about getting home for those nine months but instead we looked at the foliage," Williams told the graduates.
NASA astronaut Suni Williams addresses graduates at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.
CBS Boston
The astronauts saw auroras and two comets.
"Unbelievable things if you just stop for a moment and look out the window," Williams said in her speech.
"Just doing my job"
After months of waiting, on March 18, her return pod splashed back into the ocean. Quickly she became a celebrity.
"It's a little bizarre a little weird," Williams said. "You know in the words of Bill Belichick I am just doing my job."
A career that now includes an honorary degree from Merrimack and, a chance to return to a normal life. "Just chill out and be with family, I think that's number one," Williams said. "Number two is giving back the things that I have learned."
Just as she is giving these graduates advice, she will be doing the same soon for younger astronauts.
"We try to offer our expertise and experience to them to make sure that they're ready to go," Williams said.
Suni Williams visits Massachusetts State House
After Merrimack's commencement, Williams, who is from Needham, Massachusetts, met with Gov. Maura Healey and local students at the State House.
"It was great to welcome Suni Williams to the State House and back home to Massachusetts," Healey said. "Her resilience and dedication to service serves as an incredible model for young people across the state, reminding them that their potential is as limitless as outer space. We hope that some of the students who joined us today will be inspired to pursue careers in STEM and truly reach for the stars."
Healey awarded Williams with a Governor's Citation in recognition of her dedicated service to her country and space exploration.
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