Wai Scholarships Change Lives
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WA I SCHOLARSHIPS CHANGE LIVES WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL ✈ WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS CHANGE LIVES Page 2 THE HISTORY Page 22 KELLY HOFFMAN Page 6 BRENDA ALARCON Page 23 KAREN KALISHEK Page 6 MICHELLE BASSANESI Page 24 JOAN KARIUKI Page 7 LINDA BEANS Page 24 MIYUKIKO KOSTELNY Page 7 PIA BERGQVIST Page 25 ANGELA KOVALESKI Page 8 KATELYN BOBALIK Page 25 LAURA LASTER Page 9 LINDSAY BURNS Page 26 SUSAN MATTACKS Page 10 FELICITY CASHMAN Page 26 HEATHER M cNEVIN Page 10 JENNY CHABRIAN Page 28 LEJA NOE Page 11 JOY COOPER Page 29 CYNTHIA M. NORTON Page 12 ANDREA COPPICK Page 29 GABRIELLE PALMAS Page 12 ALLISON COUCH Page 30 LAUREN PISULA Page 13 SYLVIE D e L a HUNT Page 30 CRYSTAL PITTS Page 14 ROSE DORCEY Page 31 RICKI RACKER Page 14 BETTINA EDELSTEIN Page 32 SAMANTHA REED Page 15 APRIL ERHARDT Page 33 DR. EMILY ROBACK Page 16 PATRICIA ESPINOSA Page 33 SANDRINE ROHRER Page 17 THERESA FARLEY Page 34 FATIMA SHAFI Page 17 KELLY FISHER Page 35 SIVAN SOLOMON Page 18 BRANDI FLINN Page 35 ASHLEY TAYLOR Page 18 TANYA GATLIN Page 36 SONIA THIEBEAU Page 19 MAUREEN HALLACY Page 37 SUSAN TUDDENHAM Page 19 JULIA HARRINGTON Page 38 LYNN DELEAN-WEBER Page 20 KAYLA HARDER Page 39 ELIZABETH WORSHAM Page 20 CINDY HASSELBRING Page 41 THE FUTURE Page 21 DEBORAH HECKER Page 42 PAST SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS Page 22 TAMI HEUER Page 44 PAST SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ✈ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WAI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Celebrating $10 Million of Fulfilling Hopes, Dreams and Type-Ratings he Women in Aviation scholarship program was 1,200 applications for a record 113 scholarships. When these launched in 1995 as the brainchild of WAI’s founding scholarships are awarded in March 2016, WAI will celebrate T board members, who wanted to help young women the program for passing the achieve that next big milestone in their careers. One lucky $10 million mark in schol- by Cassandra Bosco WAI member received a $500 scholarship that first year, but arships since its inception. seeds for the future were being planted and nurtured. The program’s rapid growth during its first few years In 1996, Northwest Airlines awarded the first of many flight was driven by the airlines, who were facing a pilot short- type-ratings, increasing the scholar- age, with each year’s awards ceremo- ship pool to $50,000. The first type rat- nies featuring an increasing number ing was for the winner’s choice and of airlines offering more type rat- went to a graduate student at Mid- ings, usually specifying the type rat- dle Tennessee State University. Not ing to be awarded. During these for- bashful, Jodi Osborne chose the 747 mative years when the airlines were type rating. When her name was an- hiring, scholarship winners were like- nounced at the luncheon, she leapt out ly to be offered jobs upon successful of her seat in the back of the room and completion of the type rating. In 1999, bounced and squealed her way up to 13 type ratings plus four job offers the stage like Tigger. She scrambled up and nine interviews were awarded. the stairs and gave a bear hug to the In 2001, when the aviation economy vice president from Northwest who was at its peak, 41 type rating schol- was presenting the award. The audi- arships were awarded, many with ence rose to their feet, sharing in her follow- on job offers. exuberance with a rousing ovation. As the flight scholarships grew, so Two other members received schol- did the management, maintenance, arships that night, and the seeds of a engineering, and aircraft dispatch- successful program were sown. er awards as well as various other Over the next five years, WAI’s scholarships. Founding board mem- scholarship program experienced me- ber Mary Ann Eiff, who served as the teoric growth, capped by 2001’s stun- first chair of the scholarship commit- ning tally of 106 scholarship awards tee, spent all of her time at the con- worth over $900,000. Despite two re- ferences encouraging the vendors for cessions over the course of the 2000s, more and varied scholarships, and it support for the scholarship program paid off well for everyone. The vendors remained strong, with an average were able to read résumés and identify of 60 members each year receiving potential employees, the winners were scholarships valued at nearly half a allowed to visit companies and some- million dollars. times spend internships with them. The current decade has seen the pro- For everyone, this was a wonderful op- gram move into a higher level of donor portunity to network with people in commitment and member opportuni- their chosen aviation career field. The ty. At least 77 scholarships have been awarded annually over young people were able to achieve that next big step in their the past six years, with the annual scholarship pool averaging aviation career, and the award sponsors were able to identify nearly $600,000. The program awarded its 1,000th scholarship new aviation people who were vibrant, excited, and wanted to in 2013. This year, the WAI offices were filled with more than excel in their chosen field. 2 WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL 20 Years of Scholarships someone to sponsor them, share their room, or help in other HISTORY OF ways, like transportation,” Mary Ann said. Nowadays, com- WAI SCHOLARSHIPS panies and individuals formally sponsor travel scholarships to help cover registration fees, hotel room nights, and air- fare for scholarship recipients with a financial need, making uring the program’s first 10 full years, 477 individuals it possible for them to attend the conference to receive their received more than $4 million in scholarship money— award personally. “It was my honor to be the first scholar- D an average of $8,556. In 2005, the value of the schol- ship chair and a very rewarding volunteer position for the 10 arships awarded ranged from $500 to over $30,000. A total of years I did the scholarships,” Mary Ann said. “As the scholar- ship program rapidly grew in size, it was more than one per- son with a team of helpers was able to accomplish and it was time to institutionalize the program into the fabric of Women in Aviation International.” It’s not only the recipients who reap the rewards of the scholarship program. Our sponsoring companies tell us they are proud to participate. Many hear back from their scholar- ship winners with news of their successes in the industry. It’s a wonderful oppor- tunity to help grow “In the early years, the next generation of aviation leaders. we enjoyed the element “Women in Avia- of surprise when making the tion International 680 people applied for scholarships, with individual awards does an outstanding awards,” Mary Ann said. drawing as many as 137 applicants. There were also appli- job promoting avi- cations received for internships offered by ASTAR, Airbus, ation as a passion “I would make hints about Southwest Airlines, and Boeing. and potential career “I was very proud to have been the original Mother of choice for wom- ‘don’t miss the early morning Scholarships for Women in Aviation, and because of many en,” said Martha session tomorrow’ or volunteers who greatly helped me along the way, we were King, co-chairman able to read, sort and separate each scholarship application of King Schools and ‘come sit in front with me and send it to the proper readers for evaluation,” Mary Ann new 2016 scholar- said. “As an example, we received many applications for a ship sponsor. “Since tomorrow at 9 a.m.’” type rating including some applicants who did not yet hold John and I started a private pilot certificate. In those cases, we were able to re- King Schools, we have been proponents and supporters of direct their application to a private pilot scholarship so that at women choosing to pursue the dream of flying. CFIs are in least they had a chance to achieve their next step in the pur- a position to make a dramatic impact on the quality of the suit of an aviation career. next generation of aviators. Offering a scholarship to help a “Many college students also helped me at the conferences female CFI further her career, and have access to the full set by contacting the vendors and winners to ensure they would be on stage at the correct time and place to award or receive their scholarship. In the early years, we enjoyed the element of surprise when making the awards,” Mary Ann said. “I would make hints about ‘don’t miss the early morning session tomorrow’ or ‘come sit in front with me tomorrow at 9 a.m.’” Some scholarships focus on applicants with exceptional financial needs. WAI reads every application, to help iden- tify the most need worthy applicants and award them a fi- nancial boost towards their aviation career, and also makes sure these recipients are able to fully participate in the awards celebration. “Many years, when the winner of a scholarship was unable to attend without financial help I was able to find WAI Scholarships Change Lives! WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL 3 Reading, writing, studying, and working can be isolating, so this type of recognition and encouragement was an awaken- ing, of sorts. Being handed an award for leadership helped me realize that working with passion and faith can be isolating, but placing focus on others and sharing your vision, trust can be established and demonstrated which is the ultimate goal of every leader. It doesn’t get much better than that!” That’s not where the story ends.