The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium has become a beloved part of the Prescott community over the past five years through the shows and the STEM outreach that brings literally thousands of northern Arizona K-12 students through its doors; in addition to providing research and education opportunities at the collegiate level.
In recognition of their tremendous community impact, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is honoring Jim and Linda Lee as part of the Spring Celestial Gala. The Lees have made their presence in the Prescott area known, since 1977, through visionary leadership and generous philanthropic support of dozens of community organizations. One of their passions has become the planetarium at Embry-Riddle which bears their names.
The Spring Celestial Gala is a unique fundraising event to be held Saturday, April 15, at the Prescott Campus. The event will include a progressive dinner beginning at 5 p.m., a live auction, and an exclusive planetarium show featuring the London Symphony Orchestra recording of Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto. The Gala is being catered by local favorite chef and restaurateur Barry Barbe, of Greenway Catering & Events by El Gato Azul.
Embry-Riddle Chancellor Anette Karlsson said, “As we celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, this community event serves as our strong commitment to expand our offerings and capabilities in ways that will amaze, educate, and inspire all those that find themselves beneath the stars of our dome.”
Fundraising support from the event will be used to add more planetarium shows, enhance planetarium equipment, and purchase a mobile planetarium dome that can be transported to local schools and regional events. Tickets for a table of eight are $1,000 or individual tickets are $150. Space is limited, so get your tickets today! For more details, visit erau.edu/gala.
The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium serves as an inspirational community outreach tool and fills a vital need for promoting and enhancing STEM education at Embry-Riddle and for inspiring the youth of northern Arizona to pursue careers in these economically vital fields.
The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium is the only Arizona planetarium north of Phoenix, and is capable of seating 116 students and visitors, showing them the cosmos in 360-degree 4k resolution. Much more than just a planetarium, the facility contains multimedia learning software that can take viewers from the inner complexities of the human body to the farthest reaches of the known universe. It is located on the Embry-Riddle Prescott Campus at 3700 Willow Creek Road.
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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Embry-Riddle educates 32,700+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, at approximately 110 Worldwide Campus locations and through online degree programs. U.S. News & World Report has named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation’s No. 1 provider of online bachelor’s degree programs.
