Twenty-four middle school students in Turkey recently took part in an immersive, virtual space exploration experience online through Montgomery County Community College’s Challenger Learning Center at Montco Pottstown. This mission marks a meaningful milestone, as it’s the first time that international students have flown with the College.

Students at Adana Gundogdu College in Adana, Turkey, stepped into the roles of engineers and astronauts, working together to launch a rocket into lunar orbit and successfully land a lunar module on the moon’s surface through the simulated program Thursday, Sept. 25.

“During the simulation, students encountered an emergency that tested their teamwork and problem-solving skills,” said Annalise Giuliani, Program Manager at the Challenger Learning Center. “Rising to the challenge, they collaborated under pressure to develop a solution that ensured the safety of their crew and mission success.”

At the conclusion of the mission, each student was awarded a certificate of completion, said Giuliani, recognizing their achievement in navigating the complexities of space travel and demonstrating the critical thinking and collaboration skills essential to STEM education.

The project began in May after Dilek Arig, MCCC Associate Director of Global Programs and Initiatives, connected with Dr. Gokhan Gundogdu, the owner of Adana Gundogdu College, whom she’s known for several years after meeting at a conference in Turkey. Gundogdu introduced Arig to Berna Meral, Foreign Language Education and Accreditation Coordinator at Adana Gundogdu College. Arig then connected Meral with the team at the Challenger Learning Center, she said.

“They connected and talked about details and organized everything. Because of the time difference, they scheduled it for the best time for their students. They tried to schedule around 2 p.m. Turkey time,” said Arig. “Everything went well. Twenty-four students attended. They divided into four groups to do different missions. I was there to watch. Everyone enjoyed it very much. Everyone from their school was there including other teachers, who were supporting Berna.”

Plans are in the works to host additional international missions in the future.

The Challenger Learning Center is part of a worldwide network of over 40 Centers founded by the families of the astronauts tragically lost during the 1986 Challenger space shuttle mission and inspired by the legacy of America’s first Teacher-In-Space, Christa McAuliffe – and the hopes and dreams of millions of school children.

Located at Montco's Pottstown Campus, an academic and community hub for students and residents of Montgomery County, the Center is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. Focused on inspiring and engaging students in grades 5-8, the Center serves as a regional hub of innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning experiences where students of all backgrounds embark on simulated space missions in a fully immersive spacecraft, space station, and mission control, working together to run hands-on experiments and solve tough problems.

Every student has a role to play, building confidence in their own abilities and demonstrating the power of teamwork. Challenger Center missions create jobs for students to spark ongoing STEM engagement, college STEM degree exploration, pathways to STEM internships, apprenticeships and careers, and workforce development.

To learn more about the Challenger Learning Center at Montco Pottstown, visit the landing page or contact the facility.

Updated: 10/7/2025