WIA INTERNATIONAL INSIGHT
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SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE
better every day by taking steps to reach their full potential and
contribute to the aviation industry in meaningful ways. Women
in Aviation International is proud of its rich scholarship history
and the impact it has had on the lives and careers of thousands
of incredible women.
In 1995, the WAI scholarship program was launched with
a $500 scholarship and the seeds for the future were planted
and nourished to expand the awards each year. One year later,
Northwest Airlines awarded the first of many flight type ratings,
increasing the scholarship pool to $50,000. The first type rating
was for the winner's choice and went to a graduate student at
Middle Tennessee State University. Not bashful, Jodi Osborne
chose the Boeing 747 type rating, and when her name was
announced at the conference luncheon she exuberantly entered
the stage to receive her award.
Over the next five years, WAI's
scholarship program experienced
meteoric growth, capped by 2001's
stunning tally of 106 scholarship
awards worth over $900,000. Despite
two recessions over the course of
the 2000s, support for the scholar-
ship program remained strong, with
an average of 60 members each year
receiving scholarships valued at nearly
half a million dollars.
The program awarded its 1,000th scholarship in 2013, and in
2016, WAI Founder and President Dr. Peggy Chabrian announced
the scholarship program surpassed the $10 million mark as the
total amount of awards provided to winners over the course
of the program.
While the flight scholarships grew, so did the management,
maintenance, engineering, flight attendant, aircraft dispatch
awards as well as various other scholarships, internships, and
even a JT8D engine donation from FedEx Express.
Applications for 2018 scholarships closed on Nov. 13, 2017,
and WAI will present 111 scholarships valued at $634,000 during
its 29th Annual International Women in Aviation Conference on
March 22-24, 2018, in Reno, NV.
The stories of how scholarships have helped to fulfill hopes
and dreams are as varied and insightful as each of the recipients.
SCHOLARSHIPS CHANGE LIVES
By Dr. Peggy Chabrian
2017 WINNERS
As part of AMT's Next Gen 40 Under
40 Awards, WAI recognizes two of
its members for their hard work and
determination: Lauren Quandt and
Holly Czupich. Both are examples
of finding their passions and setting
their goals and reaching their desired
career path.