Astronaut Victor Glover Jr. Speaks at Del State

For the first time that anyone can remember in the history of Delaware State University, a NASA astronaut paid a visit to the First State’s only Historically Black Institution of Higher Education.

Commander Victor J. Glover Jr., one of 17 African American astronauts in the history of NASA space missions and who just returned in May from a 168-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), was the keynote speaker at the Aug. 12 Cadet Flight Training Ceremony held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center on campus. Commander Glover, in addition to being a flight engineer on the ISS, was also the pilot of the SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft that took him and his crew there and brought them back to earth. He spoke to 21 graduating ROTC and Junior ROTC cadets and their families in celebration of their completion of the flight-training program conducted by Del State’s Aviation Program.

A native of Pomona, Calif., Commander Glover shared his career progress, which included serving as a Naval Aviator, combat duty as an F-18 fighter pilot in Iraqi Freedom, as a Congressional Fellow in the office of the late Sen. John McCain, and has culminated with his current chapter as a NASA astronaut.

Commander Glover gave the cadets several keys to becoming successful military pilots. First, he told them that they should strive to be resilient.

“That means don’t stop in the face of challenges. Be comfortable with challenges,” Commander Glover said. “Sometimes you have to get beyond the actual most challenging obstacle that there is, and that is yourself. If you say you can’t do it, then there is no hope.”

He also advised the cadets to be lifelong learners, to learn to be good teammates and to make good, healthy rational choices in life. “In every situation, stop and think, ‘what would my mother think about this?’ ” Commander Glover said.

The annual Cadet Flight Training Program is a unique opportunity for ROTC cadets in high school and college. The eight-week program culminates with the cadets earning their Private Pilot’s License.

Among this year’s 21 cadets were two Junior ROTC cadets from Delaware – Hayden Pelton of Smyrna High School and Harleigh-Lynn Rust of Caesar Rodney High School. Both earned their Private Pilot’s License before beginnig their senior year of high school in a few weeks.

Hayden said that he would cherish his time in the summer program.

(The program’s) diversity here has allowed me to be more culturally aware of everyone. I have made great connections, met great people and have done great things here,” Hayden said. “The leadership skills I have attained here have been greater than anything else I have ever done in life.”

Harleigh-Lynn also echoed the same sentiments. “It’s been great. Coming out of this with my private pilot’s license and the flight hours has been pretty cool,” she said.