Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" was delivered on September 18, 2007, at Carnegie Mellon University's McConomy Auditorium. Over 450 Carnegie Mellon students, staff members, and friends of Pausch attended the lecture, leaving only standing room as this was more than the auditorium could hold. Pausch later commented about this in an interview, saying "A couple of hundred people in a room, looking and listening and laughing and applauding – hopefully at the appropriate times – that gives a lot of validation to my kids that a lot of people believe in this, and a lot of people who knew me believe that I did my best to try to live this way." The first introduction of the speech as well as the series of lectures was given by Indira Nair, the Vice Provost for Education at Carnegie Mellon. Nair first explained the university's aforementioned lecture series called "Journeys", in which eight more professors from Carnegie Mellon would share their insights on their professional and personal experiences over the years.
Mind Trekkers
The Mind Trekkers STEM Road Show was created in 2010, hosting over 35,000 Boy Scouts at the 2010 National Jamboree through their science filled 40’x60’ tent over 5 days. Since then, Mind Trekkers has grown in scope and scale, participating in and hosting STEM Festivals from San Francisco to Washington D.C. Tailoring their events to groups of students from grades PK-12, the program has found a special niche with upper elementary and middle school students. Mind Trekkers looks to span the ‘attraction gap’ created when these students begin to self-select out of engagement in STEM courses. During these years students find these courses move from exploration to work. Mind Trekkers utilizes innovative and engaging activities to raise interest in STEM for young participants. Mind Trekkers volunteers, consisting of undergrad/grad students, ignite inquisitiveness in each participant through explorative learning.There are over 1000 undergrad and grad students on the Mind Trekkers mailing list and approximately 200 active members, with a leadership team of six.