Del and Norma Robison Planetarium is a hub for the liberal arts.
Since opening in 2014, the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium has become a hub for the liberal arts, aiming to positively represent the mission of Truman State University.
The vision for the planetarium has progressed in the three years since it opened. The planetarium continues to incorporate and expand upon the university’s mission statement. Planetarium Director Jared Young said he adopted this vision to be all-encompassing of the university rather than creating a separate identity for the planetarium. The planetarium has hosted, and continues to host, a variety of events focused on different elements of the liberal arts, including star shows, guest lectures, and the upcoming Truman Language Festival.
Young has been a part of the planetarium since fall of 2014 and became director in 2017. Young said the planetarium is a resource essential to be utilized on Truman’s campus because of its rarity.
“It’s a unique space,” Young said. “It’s a unique venue, but it allows for critical thinking to go in a direction it doesn’t normally go.”
By: Ellie Steller
Senior Elisabeth Blotevogel. She is a student worker at the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium who helps plan and work the variety of events held in the planetarium.
Jared Young. He is the Planetarium Director and is the driving force behind the vision of making the planetarium a hub for liberal arts.
Left to right: Junior Jillian Alexander, Sophomore Zyanya Hernandez, and Junior Bailey Olsbo. On Oct. 26, three French students practice their scripts of a tour through the solar system in the planetarium. The Truman Language Festival will be held in the planetarium on Nov. 16 and 17.
The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium is attached to Magruder Hall. In its third year, the planetarium continues to progress to become more inclusive of the liberal arts.
A quote from Sophomore Zyanya Hernandez on using the planetarium as the venue for the Truman Language Festival.
A quote from Jared Young about the planetarium being a place for critical thinking.
A quote from Elisabeth Blotevogel about the planetarium having unique capabilities.
Senior Elisabeth Blotevogel, student worker at the planetarium, has been a part of the planetarium staff for two and a half years. In her time, she has seen the planetarium transition to be more inclusive of the liberal arts. Blotevogel said the planetarium has grown from doing public shows to being a venue for Fireside Fridays, Greek Week activities, and many guest speakers.
“I think the planetarium is kind of unique because it has capabilities that make it easier to incorporate like music and … art in a smaller setting than maybe like a huge auditorium,” said Blotevogel. “So, events that would maybe not warrant using like Baldwin Auditorium … could have a smaller space in the planetarium and still incorporate … other disciplines like music and art or things like that.”
As the vision of the planetarium has progressed, so too have the events held in the planetarium. Young said the planetarium began with only public shows, star tours, and science field trips for surrounding schools, but now the planetarium has expanded to poetry readings, music events, showing Public Domain movies, and more. One such event is Truman’s annual Language Festival on Nov. 16 and 17. Sophomore Zyanya Hernandez is one of the French students who participates in the festival. Hernandez said that having the festival in the planetarium is much more exciting.
“Everybody loves a planetarium. … It is so much better than giving a PowerPoint presentation,” said Hernandez.