NEWS RELEASE 10-01
January 8, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The number of Women in Aviation, International (WAI) members who applied for scholarships to be awarded at its annual conference in Orlando from February 25-27, 2010, has soared to 520 individuals, up from previous high of 371.
"Our message is that scholarships are not just for college students," said WAI President Dr. Peggy Chabrian. "Many of our scholarships are for people already in the aviation workforce, who may be interested in adding new skills and certificates." WAI scholarships are available to both men and women, and to apply, one must only be a current WAI member.
At the Conference in Orlando, 71 scholarships will be awarded with a total dollar value of $454,000. In addition, FedEx is awarding a B-727 through a WAI "scholarship" to a college/university, museum, or training center, etc. which is a corporate member of Women in Aviation, International. The airplane is valued at $1 million.
"The WAI Scholarships benefit both the recipient and the aviation industry in that we are helping to create new pilots, new maintenance technicians and upping the qualifications of the workforce at large," said Dr. Chabrian. "And with the case of FedEx's generous gift of a 727, an entire organization will benefit."
Although most of the scholarships are career oriented, other scholarships are offered which involve fulfilling an aviation dream or learning to fly just for fun. "Just like our membership, our scholarships cover every facet of aviation from airlines to pleasure flying, corporate flying, dispatching, engineering and maintenance," added Dr. Chabrian.
The 2010 scholarships will be awarded throughout WAI's Conference. With the theme "Aviation: It's a Small World," the WAI Conference will include seminars, workshops, networking events, speakers, and a commercial exhibit area. The Conference concludes on Saturday evening, February 27 with WAI's annual banquet where many scholarships are awarded. The closing banquet is sponsored in part by Airbus, Delta Air Lines, and the U.S. Navy.
Scholarship Forum Scheduled for Sun 'n Fun
To help spread the word on WAI scholarships, as well as those offered by other aviation groups and organizations, Dr. Chabrian will host a seminar at Sun 'n Fun about the availability of career-oriented scholarships. "We are doing this outreach to inform as many people as possible about the career scholarships available to them," said Dr. Chabrian.
This forum, entitled "Aviation Scholarships: Not Just for Kids" will take place during Sun 'n Fun on Thursday, April 15th at 1:00 PM in Tent # 4. The forum is open to any attendee of Sun 'n Fun.
As for WAI's 2010 Conference, secure on line registration is available at www.wai.org/10conference, and the discounted WAI Conference rate is available at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort through January 20, 2010. Discounted registration is available for military personnel and full-time students.
Women in Aviation, International is a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to providing networking, mentoring and scholarship opportunities for women and men who are striving for challenging and fulfilling careers in the aviation and aerospace industries. For more information, contact WAI at 3647 State Route 503 South, West Alexandria, OH 45381, Phone (937) 839-4647; Fax (937) 839-4645 or through www.wai.org.
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Contact:
Connie Lawrence
Women in Aviation International
937-839-4647 Phone
937-839-4645 Fax