Air Force’s first female fighter pilot will speak
Jeannie Leavitt, a retired major who was the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, will be the University of Texas' spring commencement speaker next month, UT announced Monday.
The ceremony will be held May 11 at Royal-Memorial Stadium, with more than 50,000 people expected to attend the university's 141st commencement.
Leavitt graduated from UT in 1990 with a degree in aerospace engineering. She came to the university from St. Louis with a dream of becoming a pilot. At UT, she was part of the Air Force ROTC.
When Leavitt graduated, women were not allowed to be in combat aviation. But after her time at UT, she trained to become an Air Force pilot anyway and requested to fly. In 1993, the Department of Defense updated its policy and remembered her request.
Five years later, she graduated as the first female pilot from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.
UT President Jay Hartzell said in a news release that Leavitt's persistence and determination resembles the resilience of the 2024 graduates, many of whom enrolled in the university in the fall of 2020.
“She set an example of great persistence in pursuing her dreams, resilience in the face of disappointment, and being prepared for unforeseen opportunities,” Hartzell said. “In many ways she represents this year's graduates, who entered UT physically detached from our campus at the start of the pandemic and adapted so they could succeed.”
Leavitt served in the Air Force for 31 years, flying more than 3,000 hours, including 300 combat hours. She also served as the Air Force's chief of safety, headquartered in Arlington, Va. She retired last year and has been honored with multiple awards for her service and heroism.
Outside of her time in the service, she worked with Marvel Studios, which consulted with her for the movie “Captain Marvel” starring Brie Larson, who plays Air Force pilot turned intergalactic superhero Carol Danvers. She also became an instructor at the Weapons School.
Leavitt said she is honored to serve as commencement speaker, according to UT's news release.
“These graduates showed incredible grit as they persevered through the pandemic. Rather than focus on how their lives were impacted by COVID, they focused on actions they could control and excelled in their endeavors at UT,” she said. “With courage, compassion and commitment, the Longhorn class of 2024 will change the world.”