Seeing Stars at Truman State

Del Robison (’57, ’62) began his career in education in his hometown of Novinger, Missouri. He started teaching in the Pattonville School District, in St. Louis County, in 1960 during the heart of the Space Race. The school district bordered the McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft Corporation (now The Boeing Company), and the proximity meant the school prioritized space science education.

When a new middle school was built later that decade, a planetarium was installed—the first of its kind in a Missouri school district. There, Del became the science and planetarium director.

When the opportunity came to support space science at his alma mater, Del and his wife, Norma (’57) were excited to establish a legacy gift to Truman. Their generosity will provide permanent operating resources for the facility that now bears their name: the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium & Multimedia Theater on Truman’s campus.

The educational impact of the planetarium is vast: over 2,000 local students experience the magic of space exploration each year through field trips. Overall, the planetarium hosts nearly 250 events annually, with 100 of them free to the public.

Thanks to the efforts of the “Bulldogs Are Beautiful” Day of Giving this past April, a 3-D printed-to-scale model solar system will be put on permanent display in the planetarium. It will be used in conjunction with programming in the theater, continuing the planetarium’s commitment to educating and inspiring people about space education.

Del passed away in 2015, but his love for teaching and astronomy is alive and well in the planetarium and multimedia theater that bears his and his widow’s names. A legacy that provides incredible resources to Truman students and to the local community.

To learn how you can support what you love most at Truman through your legacy, please contact Cody Weichelt at 660-785-4124 or cweichelt@truman.edu.