Rollins College is proud to announce the development of a new astronomy college: Lucas College of Astronomy and Engineering, open for student enrollment in Fall 2016.
World-renowned filmmaker George Lucas, Hollywood movie director and creator of the Star Wars films, has taken a philanthropic move and funded the school to revitalize the Florida space program. The curriculum will have a strong focus on the traditional academic fields of mathematics and science, but will also offer students an opportunity to engage with their professors on a variety of different platforms, including at the Kennedy Space Center itself.
There, students will be working primarily on the academic database sTARs, which is a hybrid online classroom environment, the first of its kind at Rollins. In their senior capstone, students will be participating in an internship at Kennedy Space Center in the specialization of their choice, with mentors who will propel them into the myriad amount of opportunities this field has.
The curriculum offers students not only the opportunity to specialize in the logistical side of space exploration, but also the chance to train as an astronaut in the space program. Program Coordinator Dr. Zinnie Grantshire has worked for NASA for the past 25 years, and calls the new college a triumph for Liberal Arts colleges around the country.
“It doesn’t limit the potential that all our educational institutions inherently have by Rollins broadening what it means to get an education. This will allow professors and students alike to create and build a whole new world here in Central Florida that is unprecedented. We have an opportunity as a community to work together and rebuild an industry that is based on the pursuit of knowledge and thirst for adventure and discovery,” Grantshire said.
Enrollment begins early next year and is expected to be a popular choice for incoming freshman.
This news is out of this world, to say the least.
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