Pacific welcomes top thought leaders to the Stockton Campus to discuss key issues in education and society. Pacificans and members of the local community have the opportunity to engage with and learn from some of today’s most influential thinkers and writers.
November 5, 2026
José Hernández
Dr. José Hernández was selected by NASA to the 19th class of U.S. astronauts in 2004, flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery as the flight engineer on STS-128 in 2009 to the International Space Station and has participated in other NASA projects. He currently served as the CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, LLC. Hernández will be in conversation with Scott Biederman '05, '20, vice president for development and alumni relations, about achieving success through perseverance.
Watch the latest speaker: Gabriela Lena Frank
How it started
Throughout Pacific’s 100 years in Stockton, the university has welcomed influential speakers, politicians, musicians and other high-profile figures to campus. After his 2020 arrival at Pacific, President Christopher Callahan collaborated with the Pacific Alumni Association to create a virtual speaker series titled “Leading Voices.”
The in-person Presidential Speaker Series continues this tradition, providing an opportunity for campus dialogue about challenges and opportunities in higher education and American society more broadly.
How to attend
Featured conversations will be held in the evenings in the historic Faye Spanos Concert Hall and will be open to the community. For specific times, please check the time posted on the specific event.
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