As one of the Co-Founders and the current President and Chair of the Board of Trustees for Air Camp, Inc., I always had a dream of someday Air Camp would be housed in a world-class facility.  I have always hoped the facility, and any other organizations that might occupy it, would become a national icon for how STEM talent development is conducted.  A giant step towards that dream occurred on February 17, 2026, when Air Camp and its community partners achieved a major milestone with the Ceremonial Signing with Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) of a license for land to build the STEM Talent Development Complex.  

Air Camp, Inc. served as the lead organization for its partners:  the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE); the Wright Patterson Air Force Base’s Educational Outreach Office, the Dayton Ohio STEM ecosystem (DO STEM), the Montgomery County STEM Center; and the Employer’s Workforce Coalition.  

At the Ceremony, as Air Camp’s Board President, along with Col Dustin Richards (the Wright Patterson AFB Commander), we inked a license that allows the partners access to 16 acres of land near the National Museum of the US Air Force for the eventual construction of the STEM Talent Development Complex. The term of the license is five years, but once ground is broken for the Complex, the license will be converted to a 50-year no cost lease for the 16 acres.

The proposed facility will be 90,750 square feet and feature classrooms, dorms, labs, high-bay collaborative spaces, and areas for community events.  Project organizers have launched a capital campaign to cover the estimated $38 million to $40 million price tag, seeking federal, state and local dollars plus broad-based philanthropic support.

At the signing ceremony:  Joe Sciabica (Air Camp Trustee and Building Committee Chair) said, “This agreement enables us to move forward with fundraising, detailed design and an upcoming request for proposal (RFP).”;  and Col Richard said, “This project directly supports our mission by strengthening the STEM pipeline that feeds our Air Force and defense workforce.  It reflects the unique bond between this Base and the Dayton region.”

Our goal is to raise funds through philanthropy to complement state and federal investments. This community-driven effort ensures sustainability for decades to come.

We hope to have significant philanthropic support from our community.  To that end, we have established a “Crowd Sourcing” fund with the Dayton Foundation. We will reach out to individuals, corporations, foundations, local businesses, and citizens—everyone and anyone will have the opportunity to contribute to this region’s future. We already have several commitments, and I hope the Ceremonial Signing helps us greatly grow this element of our fundraising.  The idea is to generate a large number of donors, with any amount they wish to donate, as a strong statement that the community is supportive of our efforts.

Dr. Vince Russo

Air Camp President & Co-Founder

For those interested, please go the Dayton Foundation Fund #T021 (www.daytonfoundation.org/donate).

Take a look at these fantastic conceptual designs provided for the project by the Air Force Institute of Technology.