Longtime Prescott, Arizona, resident Jim Lee is eager to see Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus and the local community become more connected.

That is why he and his wife, Linda Lee, who are both prominent real estate developers, decided to make a substantial gift to the Prescott Campus’ new STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics) Education Center.

“The future of the Embry-Riddle Prescott Campus can’t be separated from the future of Prescott,” says Jim, who sits on the Prescott Campus steering committee for campus buildings and is a member of its board of visitors.

The center’s planetarium was recently named the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium in the couple’s honor. The only Arizona planetarium north of Phoenix, it can seat 125 people for presentations in full 360-degree high definition. It is open to the public and is designed for frequent community use.

“We are so pleased to have the support of this prominent local couple as we move forward,” says Prescott Campus Chancellor Frank Ayers. “The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium will delight students and residents alike with a variety of presentations.”

Jim says he is excited to use the new state-of-the-art STEM Education Center and Planetarium, which celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 6, 2017, to bring more visibility to Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus and better link the community and local K-12 students with the university.

“There will be programs for the general public,” Jim says. “It is very important to bring students from the area to the university to see what is available.”

The two-story, $22 million STEM Education Center contains more than 20 laboratories supporting degrees in everything from aerospace engineering to forensic biology. The center and planetarium will become a resource for local schools and an epicenter for community engagement events year round.

“We are very fortunate and pleased to have Embry-Riddle in our community,” Jim says.