May scholarship roundup
Multiple scholarships are available for veterans interested in flight training—honoring a veteran and flight enthusiast—and high school students interested in the aviation industry should apply for a scholarship by the National Air Transportation Association.
Gala and scholarship to honor veteran
The Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship organization offers three scholarships worth $4,000 each to military veterans, and the application deadline is June 1. To apply, fill out the online application and submit a one- to two-page essay detailing your background (both in and out of the military), your goals regarding an aviation career, and what the scholarship would mean to you. The scholarship website has additional information.
Created in November 2021, the scholarship honors Michael Ashton Johnson, a military veteran who had a passion for flight. The mission of the scholarship organization is to provide flight training aid to military veterans interested in pursuing aviation as a career. GI Bill benefits start at instrument rating, and Johnson’s father Joseph Johnson recognized the opportunity to provide support. “Hopefully, this foundation can help to bridge the gap for veterans between the GI Bill and the private pilot certificate,” he said.
The organization is hosting its first black-tie gala to raise money for future scholarship awards at the CR Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 15. Tickets can be purchased through the event Facebook page.
Aviation industry scholarship for high school students
The National Air Transportation Association awards an annual Navigate Your Future Scholarship of $2,500 to a high school graduate, to be used for the purpose of continuing education in an aviation-related field. The goal of the scholarship is to promote careers in the general aviation industry.
The 2022 scholarship application is open. Eligible applicants must be high school seniors planning a career in the GA field, “be enrolled or accepted into an aviation-related program at an accredited college or university,” and “be able to demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career” in GA. By June 24, interested students must submit an application along with a high school transcript (including class rank), a letter of recommendation, a letter of acceptance from the accredited college or university, and a personal statement discussing interest in GA, education plan, flight training goals, and scholarship merit.
Recipients will be notified of their award by the end of July. Additional information about the Navigate Your Future Scholarship can be found on the organization website.
AMT student receives scholarship
During the Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Dallas, JSfirm.com recognized Jonathan Roberts as the recipient of the 2022 JSfirm.com Aviation Mechanic Student Award. The scholarship is awarded to current or recent aviation maintenance students—to be used for the purchase of tools, tuition, or other education-related expenses.
“I’m pursuing my AMT certificate for several reasons. I want to do my part to keep general aviation safe and as affordable as possible for the private pilot and airplane owners,” Roberts wrote in his essay. “I also intend to pursue volunteer opportunities in my area to restore and preserve historical airplanes.” Roberts, a retired veteran, works full time and is a 4.0-GPA-student studying aircraft maintenance technology at Columbus State Community College in Ohio.
Roberts is a member of several aviation industry groups, including AOPA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association.
