Our donors help to create once in a lifetime experiences at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center every day. From proceeds to the general scholarship fund, a contribution to unrestricted funds that help meet the needs across the Center, or planning for an endowment, your donation helps make our world class education programs a memory to last a lifetime.
The impact of our programs, like Space Camp, create the foundation for a career in STEM for those that become interested in that pathway, but also help establish a sense of self in the leadership and teamwork aspects that are throughout all of the camp programs.
One of our recent scholarship recipients, Sandali Kumarasinghe, shares her experience of being able to travel to the United States for the first, to attend Space Camp. An experience that helped launch her trajectory towards a lifetime of STEM learning.
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I’m Sandali Kumarasinghe, and I won a scholarship from the US Space & Rocket Center to attend Space Camp in 2019. It’s been over three years, and I’d like to express my gratitude for all of your help and direction during the Space Camp experience. I’m not sure if you remember, but I had a lot of trouble getting a visa, but because of your help, I was able to attend the camp and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I’m currently enrolled at Broward College, where I’ll shortly finish my Associates in Engineering concentration and am considering pursuing a BSc in Aerospace Engineering. Without the incredible experience I had at Space Camp, I would not have had the confidence to pursue this field. In addition, I participated in a contest called dearMoon, which was the first all-civilian mission to the moon, and I was able to complete the fourth phase of the five stages. One of the causes for my never-ending fascination for space is Space Camp. It motivated me to pursue this career and to become an astronaut one day. I haven’t gotten very far yet, but all of this means a lot to a Sri Lankan girl like me.
I’d like to express my gratitude to you, my scholarship donor (Keough Family Foundation), the Space Camp committee, my crew trainers (Mrs.Diane and Mr.Richard), and the Space Camp staff. I wouldn’t be able to reach my full potential without your support and generosity. Thank you once more for your generous and unwavering support. I’m also thankful to the US Space & Rocket Center for giving me this fantastic opportunity.
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