– Benefactors Peter and Leslie Skae to be Recognized –
– Keynote Speaker Dr. Charles Camarda, Astronaut and NASA Veteran –
St. Thomas Aquinas College will celebrate the grand opening of the state-of-the-art SKAE Astronomy Center on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, beginning at 5:30 PM in the Romano Student Alumni Center on campus. The evening will include remarks from Peter and Leslie Skae, the benefactors whose vision and generosity made the Astronomy Center possible. Serving as keynote speaker will be Dr. Charles Camarda, a 46-year NASA veteran, inventor, author, educator, and STS-114 astronaut who flew the historic return-to-flight mission following the Columbia disaster.
“This transformative project reflects our deep commitment to inspiring curiosity, advancing STEM education, and engaging our students and community in lifelong learning,” said Ken Daly, President of St. Thomas Aquinas College. “We are honored to recognize Peter and Leslie Skae, whose generosity has brought this vision to life, and to welcome Dr. Camarda — a pioneer in aerospace innovation and an inspiring leader — to mark this milestone and spark a passion for discovery among our students and community members.”
From 7:00 – 9:00 PM, guests can take part in small-group tours of the SKAE Astronomy Center, available by advance reservation when registering. During this time, they will also enjoy a reception with family-friendly astronomy activities, Telescopic! — a group exhibition celebrating the beauty, mystery, and wonder of space in the Azarian McCullough Art Gallery — and a book signing with Dr. Camarda for his acclaimed work, Mission Out of Control: An Astronaut’s Odyssey to Fix High-Risk Organizations and Prevent Tragedy.
About the SKAE Astronomy Center
The SKAE Astronomy Center features a powerful, 24” diameter Cassegrain telescope (manufactured by DFM engineering) housed in a custom observatory dome, alongside a specialized classroom designed for astronomy and astrophysics programming. Students, faculty, alumni, and community members will have the opportunity to observe planets, stars, comets, and galaxies — fostering hands-on research, citizen science projects, and community stargazing events.
The SKAE Astronomy Center was realized through the vision and generosity of Peter and Leslie Skae, whose contributions made the project possible. Their support included securing the telescope and observatory dome from Hudson River Trading and providing the funding needed to build the observatory and dedicated classroom space.
“We are thrilled to witness the launch of the SKAE Astronomy Center. It will be most fulfilling to watch the students of STAC peer within the eye of the telescope toward the universe above. This Center creates new opportunities for wonder, curiosity, and discovery, and we are proud to support the academic excellence of the St. Thomas Aquinas College faculty, staff, and most of all, students,” shared Peter and Leslie Skae. Peter previously served as Board Chair, following in the footsteps of Leslie’s father, James Costello, for whom Costello Hall was previously named.
About Dr. Charles Camarda
Dr. Camarda will draw from his extraordinary career — including over 22 years as a research engineer, 18 years as an astronaut, and 13 years as a NASA senior executive — to share lessons on innovation, problem-solving, and teamwork under the most high-stakes conditions imaginable. Following the Columbia tragedy, he led the teams that identified its technical cause and developed groundbreaking repair technology that he personally tested in space.
Today, as founder of the Epic Education Foundation, adjunct professor, inventor with nine patents, and author of Mission Out of Control, Dr. Camarda continues to advance STEM/STEAM education, strengthen organizational culture, and inspire the next generation of innovators.
Registration
This complimentary event is open to the community. Space is limited, and registrations will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis. Those wishing to tour the SKAE Astronomy Center must reserve a timeslot at registration. For more information and to register for the SKAE Astronomy Center Grand Opening event, please visit: stac.edu/skae-astronomy-center-grand-opening/