Margot Lee Shetterly, best-selling author of the book “Hidden Figures,” will present the commencement address to UNCG’s 2017 graduating class. “Hidden Figures” was made into a major motion picture nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globe awards.

The book and film tell the story of pioneering black female mathematicians who worked at NASA during the space race.

“Hidden Figures” has a direct relation to UNCG in one of the featured mathematicians. Alumna Virginia Tucker, class of 1930, was one of five trailblazing women to join the first human computer pool at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory (now Langley Research Center) in 1935.