FAMU trustees consider renaming of Challenger Learning Center's planetarium after historic gift

The Challenger Learning Center’s planetarium in Tallahassee could soon be renamed after the largest donors in the facility’s history.

During a Monday Florida A&M University Board of Trustees meeting, trustees listened to a consideration to name the “Fogg Planetarium” in honor of the late Edward C. and Lisbeth A. Fogg, a philanthropic couple who's charitable trust donated $750,000 to the Challenger Learning Center fund in December.

“This is the single largest philanthropic contribution to the Challenger Learning Center in its 20-year history,” FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Dean Suvranu De said in a March letter.

FAMU’s Naming Committee made the recommendation for the honorary naming of the Fogg Planetarium at the Challenger Learning Center through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering June 18.

While the Challenger Learning Center is managed by Florida State University, some maintenance support is provided by FAMU since the facility serves as the K-12 outreach extension of the joint engineering school.

Located in downtown Tallahassee on Kleman Plaza, the center provides community engagement to over 50,000 students annually through field trips, summer camps and other programs.

The center's planetarium is a 50-foot, high-definition theatre with a 20,600-watt Dolby 5.1 surround sound system and state-of-the-art projectors that seats 128, according to the Challenger Learning Center's website. It also features educational and entertaining programming for all ages.

During FAMU's board meeting, FAMU Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Donald Palm told trustees the gift deposit was made in late November of last year. The Challenger Learning Center was notified of the couple’s $750,000 donation last December, in which the amount — which was donated through the FSU Foundation from the trust — will be spread over five years.

In addition, the meeting materials included the gift agreement, which was signed by FSU President Richard McCullough, FSU Provost James Clark, FSU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Vickers, De and officials of the charitable trust.

Out of the $750,000 gift, $150,000 will go toward minor renovations to the planetarium and the remaining $600,000 will be contributed to the Challenger Learning Center’s General Endowment fund to support programming.

The Foggs — who spent retirement in Camilla, Georgia — were philanthropists who worked as developers and managers of Farm Stores, which is a convenience store headquartered in Miami, Florida, that specializes in its own brand of milk, bread and ice cream.

Although Edward died in 2004 at the age of 86 and Lisbeth passed away in 2015 at the age of 95, the Edward C. Fogg and Lisbeth A. Fogg Charitable Trust continues the legacy of the couple by supporting the communities they contributed to.

In the past, the Foggs have made donations to FSU, including a $50,000 to FSU Libraries for tutoring and a recent contribution to the university’s Academic Center for Excellence to expand tutoring to Strozier Library.

The couple has also made multiple six-figure contributions to Beacon College — a private liberal arts institution in Leesburg — such as a $232,000 donation to grow its scholarship fund and enhance student safety on its campus. The college named its 12,000-square-foot academic mall after the Foggs.

Besides education, the couple was also known for making contributions in support of hospitals, medical research and humanities.

"The trustees of the Fogg Trust are proud to support educational, research, and public service institutions," Todd Clark, a trustee of the Fogg Charitable Trust, said in an email to the Democrat. "The planetarium at the Challenger Learning Center in Tallahassee provides opportunities for learning and wonder for children and adults, as well as being a venue for lectures and bedtime stories."

"This financial support will allow an upgrade that will continue to make the planetarium a center of learning and inspiration," he added.

The honorary naming of the Challenger Learning Center's planetarium has been approved by FSU’s Board of Trustees, and FAMU’s board will vote on the recommendation during its August retreat.

Learn more about the planetarium at https://www.challengertlh.com/planetarium-shows/

Contact Tarah Jean at [email protected] or follow her on X: @tarahjean_.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU trustees consider Challenger Learning Center Planetarium's naming