AOPA AWARDS STUDENT PILOT SCHOLARSHIP AT WOMEN IN AVIATION CONFERENCE

March 5, 2015

          Contact: Steve Hedges
                        301-695-2159
                        [email protected]

FREDERICK, MD – An aviation student from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., is the 2015 recipient of the $3,000 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Women in Aviation International student pilot scholarship, AOPA announced today.

Samantha G. Reed, a Liberty School of Aeronautics student, hopes to use her flying skills as part of a non-governmental organization doing humanitarian or missionary work. So far she has completed a 12-week ground school and has logged training time in a Piper Warrior, Cessna 172 and a simulator.

“Most people want to be flying commercially,” Samantha wrote in her scholarship application, “but I dream of becoming a missionary pilot and using my pilot’s license to make life better for other people. There is nothing I ever wanted more than to be able to offer my skills as a pilot to an NGO or non-profit organization so I can help people.”

Samantha, who is from Valparaiso, Ind., was one of more than 100 applicants for the student pilot scholarship, which AOPA awards each year as part of the Women in Aviation International (WAI) Scholarship program. Samantha received her award during an AOPA new-member event at the annual WAI conference in Dallas.

Applicants were evaluated on merit, including previous accomplishments, the ability to set and achieve goals, involvement in general aviation and commitment to flight training. Applicants were also asked to write an essay expressing their views on how general aviation supports local communities and the nation.

Samantha is a member of AOPA, WAI and SOAR (Serving Others using Aviation Resources). She held a 4.0 grade point average in high school and was president of her school’s National Honor Society chapter. She is also a member of the Eagle Scholars Leadership Program at Liberty.

WAI is a nonprofit organization encouraging women to seek opportunities and careers in aviation. Applications for the 2016 scholarships will be available July 2015 on the WAI website: www.wai.org.

ABOUT AOPA

Since 1939, AOPA has protected the freedom to fly for thousands of pilots, aircraft owners and aviation enthusiasts. AOPA is the world’s largest aviation member association, with representatives based in Frederick, Md., Washington, D.C., Wichita, Kans., and seven regions across the United States. AOPA provides member services that range from advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels to legal services, flight planning products, safety programs and award-winning media. To learn more, visit www.aopa.org. 

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