TEMPLE, Texas — A former NASA astronaut will be at Temple College on April 18 to speak to students and community members regarding the importance of STEM.
Engineer Dr. Jose M. Hernandez will be speaking at 9 a.m. on April 18 at Temple College's Mary Alice Performing Arts Center, 2600 S. 1st St.
His lecture titled "Creating a Culture of STEM" will focus on encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
He will also be sharing his story regarding his journey from working on California farmlands to being selected by NASA as a mission specialist onboard of the Space Shuttle, Discovery.
He was accepted by NASA in 2001 after being rejected 11 times.
“We are excited to bring Dr. Hernandez to Central Texas to visit with students in our service-area schools, as well as our Temple College students and community,” said Dr. Eva M. Munguia, the executive director of Temple College's Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) L.E.A.D.S. team, which is sponsoring Hernandez's visit.
“The story of how he moved from the fields of California as a child to being a pioneer in space is inspiring, and we hope students can see that they really can shoot for the stars," Munguia added.
Free tickets are required for the events and are available first come, first served by calling 254-298-8590 or emailing dana.palen@templejc.edu.
