SAN DIEGO — San Diego State is honoring the first Latina in space by renaming a central part of campus. The West Commons will now be known as the Ellen Ochoa Pavillion.
Dr. Ellen Ochoa who graduated from San Diego State said her inspiration came from Sally Ride who was the first woman in space.
According to the university, the renaming is in honor of the La Mesa native, Ellen Ochoa and her long-standing achievements and contributions to space exploration, and her commitment to the scientific education of young people across the country.
In 1993, five years after joining NASA, Ochoa flew on her first mission, becoming the first Latina in space. Ochoa capped her 30-year career with NASA by serving as director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Ochoa was the first Hispanic director of the Johnson Space Center and only its second female leader.
The name change was approved by the California State University Board of Trustees in March. According to a press release, “The change is the product of a task force formed by SDSU President Adela de la Torre and a campus wide invitation for nominations in 2021, all with the goal of increasing representation for diverse communities across campus.”
Ochoa was honored by SDSU in 1995 as the Distinguished Alumna of the Year.
Last month, SDSU held a separate building dedication event and renamed East Commons, the Charles B. Bell Jr. Pavilion. Bell, one of SDSU's first African American professors, taught at SDSU for nearly 20 years.
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