After much anticipation, Trinity Prep administration has finally announced the construction of the Nochur Sankar Science Center. This multi-million dollar, 35,000 square foot project is planned to be completed by the fall of 2026 and aims to bring a higher level of STEM learning to students.
Shyam Sankar (‘00) is the primary donor of the building, contributing $3.5 million to the final donation goal. At Trinity, Sankar’s love for the sciences drove him to pursue his childhood passion, motivating his donation. Sankar found great success after graduating, attending Cornell University and Stanford University, and then went on to found a billion-dollar company that provides computerized solutions for businesses. He said he largely owes this success to Trinity.
When Sankar first toured Trinity as a 5th grader, he knew this was the place for him to follow his passion into the sciences.
“When I saw the science lab… wow,” Sankar said. “I want to be here, and I want to be able to do stuff in that lab. It captivated my imagination and really was a catalyst for getting me excited.”
The building is named after Sankar’s father, Nochur Sankar, who was a significant influence in his life.
“This is a man who really had his teeth kicked in at every single moment in life but demonstrated immense resilience to create a better life for his family,” Sankar said. “This is a way of honoring everything that he helped create together.”
According to Sankar, his father’s motivating nature helped him pursue his passion in science Sankar wants to give all students the same opportunities and exposure that he had access to, ensuring that they can have promising futures.
“My dad would be so proud to know that part of this legacy was to inspire as many generations as possible at Trinity to pursue their own dreams,” Sankar said. “Part of that is realizing it through science.”
Trinity will be able to bring together science, technology, engineering and math into one building. Such interconnected departments will no longer be geographically disconnected, leading to a more holistic approach to the STEM curriculum.
The Nochur Sankar Science Center will allow Trinity’s science curriculum to expand, and Science Department Chair Dr. Romina Jannotti is ecstatic about the fact.
“The sky is the limit… I do want to create a biotech curriculum,” Jannotti said. “I want to have more science electives [and] would like to create more semester classes that give kids a taste of [a variety of STEM classes].”
However, the road has been rocky while planning and executing the science center build. According to Head of School Byron Lawson, inflation, lack of materials and competition for builders and architects, have made the critical parts of the construction puzzle hard to piece together. However, these challenges have been addressed, and ground is planned to be broken in the summer of 2024 in the current administration parking and carline space.
With Sankar’s goal of enhancing STEM at Trinity Prep, his donation, along with that of the Holloway family, has been vital in bringing Trinity closer to reaching its goal, as 75% has been fulfilled so far. Lawson hopes to see 100% participation in these efforts by the whole Trinity family.
“I want to inspire kids to have a positive and definite view of the future and to discover that for themselves,” Sankar said. “I want [students] to be excited about STEM and the specifics about what we can accomplish through advanced technologies.”
