04-03-2025
This trailblazing father and son duo to receive honorary doctorates from Stanislaus State
Former NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez and his father, Salvador Hernandez, will receive honorary doctorates from Stanislaus State during the university's 65th commencement ceremonies this May.
The father-son duo will be the first Latinos to receive honorary degrees from Stan State, and only the second parent-child pair to receive such honors in the history of the California State University system.
Jose Hernandez, who worked in Central Valley fields as a child before reaching space aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery, will receive an honorary doctor of science degree May 27 during the College of Science's graduation ceremony. The following day, May 28, Jose will join Stanislaus State President Britt Rios-Ellis to present Salvador Hernandez with an honorary doctor of humane letters.
Both ceremonies will take place at 8 a.m. in the university's outdoor amphitheater on its Turlock campus.
The honorary doctorate is the highest honor awarded by the CSU Board of Trustees and Stanislaus State. Recipients are selected for their exceptional service, achievements or embodiment of the values upheld by the CSU system.
'We are thrilled to honor Salvador and Jose Hernandez — an incredible father and son whose journeys reflect the lived experiences of so many of our students and their families,' Rios-Ellis said in a press release. 'Growing up in Stockton, Jose worked alongside his parents in the fields of the Central Valley, where Salvador's unyielding support and belief in his son's dreams paved the way for him to reach unimaginable heights — literally and figuratively.'
Salvador Hernandez immigrated to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico, as a teenager, working in the fields and raising his children in Stockton, where Stanislaus State now has a satellite campus. Although Salvador had limited access to formal education, he instilled in his children a recipe for success, emphasizing vision, preparation and perseverance
Jose overcame the challenges of growing up as a migrant farmworker, learning English at age 12 and being rejected by NASA 11 times before finally achieving his dream of becoming an astronaut.
Jose went on to earn bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering, co-develop mammography technology and spend more than a decade at NASA. In 2009, he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as a mission specialist.
After leaving NASA, Jose founded an aerospace engineering consulting firm, wrote three books and became a motivational speaker. Together, he and Salvador also built their family vineyard, 'Tierra Luna,' — Spanish for 'Earth Moon.'
He also serves as CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, a consulting firm where he advises clients on satellites and various aspects of the rapidly growing private spaceflight industry. The firm's work also spans renewable energy, manufacturing and several other sectors.
In 2012, Jose was the Democratic nominee in the 10th Congressional District race, losing to Jeff Denham.
'Their path — from the fields to business leadership and to the stars — is a testament to resilience, determination and the power of education. Jose represents his ancestors' wildest dreams, proving that with perseverance and opportunity, and fueled by family, anything is possible,' stated Britt Rios-Ellis.
'The father-son dynamic duo represents what strong family ties, steadfast love and commitment, and a strong dose of the sueno Americano can mean for a family's success. We are so proud to honor the legacy of generations and the recipe that made the Hernandez father-and-son duo legendary!'
The Hernandezes' story was depicted in the 2023 Amazon Prime film 'A Million Miles Away,' starring Michael Peña as Jose and Julio César Cedillo as Salvador. Stanislaus State plans to screen the film on campus during Hispanic Heritage Month later in the year.
'The message there is that it's OK to dream big as long as you're willing to work hard and convert that dream into reality,' Hernandez told The Bee in 2022 about the movie.
