FLORENCE, AL - Astronaut. Engineer. Fighter pilot. U.S. Navy Captain. All of these words describe Scott Kelly, the featured speaker for the launch of the 2020 Distinguished Events Series at the University of North Alabama campus. The event will be Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Mane Room on Pine Street.

"The University has a history of bringing individuals who are recognized as giants in their fields to campus, from conservationist and animal expert Jack Hanna to humorist Jeanne Robertson," said Kevin Haslam Vice President for Advancement and UNA Foundation Executive Director. "The goal is to provide programming that will be informative and inspirational for the campus as well as the greater Shoals community. Capt. Scott Kelly is among that very distinguished group, and we're very honored to welcome him to UNA."

Most notably famous for his missions in space, Capt. Kelly travels across the country sharing his experiences as part of his program: "The Sky is Not the Limit: Lessons from a Year in Space."

Capt. Kelly participated in a year-long mission to the International Space Station in order to detail how the human body changed throughout an extended period of time in space. Kelly's identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, was studied in comparison to his brother during the 340 days spent in a zero-gravity environment. Capt. Kelly is among a select few other American who hold the record for most number of days spent in space.

Kelly is also an author of four books: Infinite Wonder; Endurance; Endurance: Young Readers' Edition; and My Journey to the Stars. He also appeared in the documentary series, "A Year in Space," and on "CBS News Sunday Morning."

The Distinguished Event Series on Feb. 18 is free and open to the public.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Sciences, and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is

located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of the NCAA Division I's ASUN Big South Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/