For aspiring pilots, the path to the cockpit can feel like an impossible ascent. The cost of flight school and earning a private pilot’s license is a significant barrier, often clipping the wings on dreams of an aviation career.
However, for area high school students, that path has been cleared for takeoff, thanks to the Dreams Take Flight Scholarship.
The MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation, in partnership with the Capital Region International Airport and the Eaton Regional Education Service Agency, launched the scholarship program two years ago, providing $5,000 to support a student’s journey toward earning their private pilot’s license.
“Currently, there is a shortage of pilots in the aviation industry,” said Rebecca Surian, executive director of the foundation. “One of the barriers for next-generation pilots and other aviation professionals is training costs. The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship was created to help make training more accessible and affordable for local high school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing an aviation career.”
According to Nicole Noll-Williams, president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority, the training is not covered by traditional student loans.
“Supporting the next generation of aviation professionals is essential to the future of the industry, and the MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation has truly stepped up,” she said. “We’re proud to call them a partner; and if we want to continue building a strong pipeline of pilots and aviation professionals, we need more organizations to join us in this mission.”
Interested individuals and businesses can support the scholarship through donations.
For the recipients, the impact is immediate and profound. The recipients of the second annual scholarship — Danica Bancroft from DeWitt High School and Christian Simmons from St. Johns High School — were announced this year.
“The Dreams Take Flight Scholarship will help me tremendously to earn my private pilot’s license,” Bancroft said. “Having the privilege to win this scholarship has paved a path toward my future career and will help in many ways. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Similarly, Simmons noted that the scholarship has “put me on the fast track to getting my private pilot’s license and helping me start my career.”
The next application period for the two available scholarships opens Nov. 3, with a submission deadline of Dec. 5. To qualify, applicants must be a high school junior or senior in Eaton, Ingham or Clinton counties, and plan to attend or are currently attending the Aviation Careers Institute, Crosswinds Aviation or another flight school partner to pursue their pilot’s license. Lastly, they must be an MSUFCU member or open an account through an application process.
For more information, visit deskdrawerfoundation.org/dreamstakeflight.
Stacy Bogard
Stacy Bogard is a senior content and PR strategist at M3 Group and is a writing and editing contributor for 517 Business. A native of East Lansing, she’s active with the Junior League of Lansing and Central Michigan chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She also loves watching sports and traveling.
