Check out your Camp’s annual T-shirt! Hopefully, it brings back fond memories.
Since 1988, we have enjoyed staying in contact with our alumni! Their accomplishments have been diverse, inspiring, and often quite surprising. They have become leaders in diverse careers. Some married each other! Children of alumni have become Campers and begun serving on our Camp Team.
Where did they come from? As shown in the map above, nearly 2,000 teenage Campers attended from all 50 U.S. states and 23 countries. Our alumni also include Adult Campers (903; world); school groups (10 schools; 603 students; U.S. & Mexico); and Girl Scout adult trainers (397; U.S.) funded from the ~20-yr education workshops of Science Team of the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Where did they go? Former teen Campers have become active in society, even serving in the U.S. Congress, the Texas Board of Regents, university Department Heads, and as national leaders in their diverse fields. They have also earned many prestigious awards.To date, at least 100 of our alumni have earned advanced degrees in wide-ranging careers, especially those related to science, technology, engineering, and math. In astronomy alone, our alumni now work at more than 50 institutions worldwide including 30 universities/colleges, 12 national labs, 6 research observatories, Defense companies, and science education centers.
You are likely working, or acquainted, with a former Camper without knowing it! After nearly 40 years, our Camp Alumni are widespread and work in many different careers, not just astronomy. Consider asking your colleagues, and friends, a leading question, like “How did you get interested in Astronomy?” Chances are good that after ~5 followup questions, you will find that they attended Astronomy Camp. For example, in the fall of 2026, a teacher (former Camper – 2009) discovered that one of his students was applying to Camp.
To date, 75 Camp alumni returned to The University of Arizona as students (undergrad & grad), postdocs, faculty, and members of the Technical Staffs at Steward Observatory, Arizona Radio Observatories, and the Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory. Upon graduation, several of those students received the Most Outstanding Senior and the Excellence in Research awards from the Astronomy Department and the College of Science. Others became Officers in the undergraduate Astronomy Club and leaders on campus. Numerous alumni continued on to graduate schools. Several are employed at other astronomical groups in Arizona, such as the Kitt Peak National Observatory, Lowell Observatory, and the Center for Astrophysics. Also, our alumni and their families have contributed financially to the University, enabling high-valued grants for research, infrastructure, and new initiatives.