Union Pacific Foundation Donates $10,000 for Planetarium’s Anniversary Bash

The Union Pacific Foundation will present a gift of $10,000 in support of this Saturday’s Rock-It Fest 2009, which celebrates the fourth anniversary of Texas A&M International University’s Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center and Planetarium.

Union Pacific representative Ivan Jaime, director of Border Policy and Community Affairs, will present the Foundation’s gift in front of the Planetarium Saturday at 4 p.m. Through the years, Union Pacific has provided gifts in support of TAMIU student scholarships, program enhancement and endowment in excess of $244,000.

Rock-It Fest 2009 is one of several events hosted by the LBV Science Center and Planetarium to commemorate the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009. IYA is a global celebration of astronomy, which honors the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s discovery of the telescope. Rock-It Fest 2009 is free of charge and open to the public.

Rock-It Fest fun starts at 1 p.m. Saturday with families having an opportunity to enjoy activities and games including face painting, moon bounce, interactive games, and prizes till 6 p.m. The Planetarium will also premiere the movie “One World, One Sky; Big Bird’s Adventure,” providing an opportunity for children to explore the night sky from inside the Planetarium’s 45-foot dome, joined by favorite friends from “Sesame Street.”

The remainder of the evening will appeal to older audiences as live bands Fallen on September and Automatic Weekend perform outdoors beginning at 7 p.m. The fun, food, and games will continue till 10 p.m. Free Planetarium tours will offer a sneak-peek montage of various Planetarium shows. Also available will be the Planetarium’s latest show, “enTRANCEd,” which combines digital animation and live-performed visual effects.

Texas A&M International University’s Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center and Planetarium is located on the campus, at 5201 University Boulevard. It is open on Friday from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday from 5- 9 p.m.

For more information, please call 326.2444 or visit tamiu.edu/planetarium

(This press release and marketing initiatives for this observation are the effort of TAMIU students enrolled in Public Relations Campaigns, under the direction of TAMIU Assistant Professor of Communication Dr. Lynda S. Brown.)

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu