On clear nights, she could see the Milky Way, and it was during these times that she discovered her passion: to be an astronaut. Unlike most of us whose childhood aspirations change with each birthday, Bonnie held on to hers until she made them real.

But it wasn't just the stars that led Bonnie on her chosen career path. Her teachers, parents, and especially her grandfather encouraged her to take advantage of educational opportunities early on. "Venturing into unknown horizons was stimulating to me. I always had this vision of growing up and exploring," she says. Her family also taught her the importance of teamwork and that all tasks are shared by everyone�no matter their gender.

When Bonnie entered the University of Washington's Department of Engineering, she was surprised to find herself one of six women in a class of a few thousand students. A female faculty member encouraged her to join the Society of Women Engineers. Throughout her university career, Bonnie found this organization and other mentors to be great sources of support for her.

In 1977, when she was working on the Columbia Space Shuttle at Rockwell International, Bonnie learned that NASA was finally accepting astronaut applications from women. "I put my name in for the '78 class and I wasn't selected," she says. "That was profoundly disappointing to me. And I had toreally sit back and think, was I qualified?" She knew she was and persisted. When they offered Bonnie a job as a flight controller on the space shuttle in Houston, she accepted. As it turned out, the position strengthened her ties to the NASA community and helped prepare her for future jobs.

The next class announcement went out for the 1980 astronaut class and Bonnie's determination paid off. She went to outer space in 1985, her first of five missions.

Bonnie often speaks to students and encourages them to pursue technology and engineering careers. However, she believes it's most important for them to focus on what they enjoy. "That's what you'll be happiest doing in life because that will get you through the rough times," she says.