Looking Skyward

Looking Skyward is a reflective project by Jill Hoffman centered on wonder, observation, and the lifelong habit of looking up — using the sky as a metaphor for curiosity, perspective, and possibility.

This work captures quieter moments of reflection and imagination, serving as an early expression of the themes that continue to shape Jill’s writing today.

An astronaut wearing a white suit and helmet stands outdoors with snow in the background.

Looking Skyward

Looking Skyward is an inspiring nonprofit founded by Jill Hoffman to make aerospace careers more accessible for young adults with big dreams. Driven by her vision to open doors in a field often limited by barriers of cost and opportunity, Jill created Looking Skyward to launch talented individuals toward fulfilling careers in aerospace. Through its impactful scholarship program, Looking Skyward sends deserving young adults to prestigious aerospace camps nationwide. The organization also leads STEM projects, supports hundreds of aspiring professionals, and offers scholarships, internships, mentorship, and collaborations with national contests. Generous contributions from Jill’s book sales and speaking engagements sustain Looking Skyward’s mission, helping to empower the next generation of aerospace innovators.

Talks & Workshops

  • This talk will inspire this and future generations to always look up and wonder. Jill is a strong advocate for STEM education and understand the importance of excellent traditional and non-traditional education. She knows that without easy and inviting access to STEM topics like math and engineering many truly innovative ideas will go undiscovered. Jill turns the sometimes overwhelming and often dry STEM topics into funny stories that remind my audience that everyone can and should be involved in improving the world through innovative ideas. This talk has a strong aerospace focus and is meant for audiences of all ages.

    You will:

    • Understand how to connect the STEM classroom to a dream career.

    • Discover the importance of adding the Arts to STEM

    • Learn the answer to the "what's next?" question- —

    • Turn yourself from a dreamer to a doer

  • Jill encourages her audience to break free of their vicious cycle of falling short of their goals and invites them to jump onto the M.A.R.S. Success Cycle.  In this one-day workshop Jill teaches her 4-step system to help you achieve your "impossible."

    Sessions includes:

    • Learn to break free of personal barriers

    • System to stay the course and recognize when you are not on the right trajectory

    • Tools to reach higher goals

It all begins the courage to look up and wonder.

  • A rocket launching into the sky with a trail of fire and smoke, above green trees and electrical poles.

    Inspire it.

  • A woman giving a presentation in a classroom, with a projection of an airplane on the whiteboard.

    Grow it.

  • A young woman sitting in the cockpit of a small Cessna airplane with a big smile, wearing headphones, giving a thumbs up with her right hand, and holding the control yoke with her left hand, on an airport tarmac during daytime.

    Do it.