Grossmont Grad Becomes First Hispanic Director Of Johnson Space Center

Ellen Ochoa, a 1975 graduate of Grossmont High School, was named director of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center on December 31, 2012.

According to Latinos Post, she is the child of Mexican immigrants that settled in La Mesa and went on to graduate in physics at San Diego State University. Her schooling continued at Stanford, where she received M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering.

Ochoa became the first Hispanic female astronaut in 1991 and later became the first Hispanic female in space. She has since clocked over 1,000 hours in space. She's even had a school in Pasco, Washington named after her.

Latino's Post wrote about her position as a Hispanic role model:

"Ellen Ochoa's outstanding role as an important figure and role model to the Hispanic community was recognized during the Hispanic Heritage Month on Sept. 14, 2011 and she is widely regarded as a trailblazer for both women and people of Hispanic descent in the realm of science."

Read more about Ellen Ochoa at Latinos Post