2018 WAI Scholarship Winners
This year, 142 scholarships were distributed to WAI members at every stage of life for academic use, lifestyle enhancement, and flight training, including type ratings. A total of $695,500 in scholarships was awarded putting the total amount of scholarships awarded since 1995 to $11,495,581. The scholarships were presented at the WAI annual conference which was held March 22-24 in Reno, NV.
Ace Aerobatic School Spin Training: Kisha M. Delain, Fridley, MN, and Anusha A. Gregory Warrenton, VA
Aero Femme: Laura J. Laster, Longview, TX
Airbus Leadership Grant: Johanna Tiongson, Salt Lake City, UT
Airline Ground Schools Inc./Flamingo Air–FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certification Course: Melissa Hart, Pittsburgh, PA
Air Wisconsin ATP Scholarship: Jessie Y. Ban, Chicago, IL; Marie-Sophie Boggasch, Anchorage, AK; Michelle M. Curran, Fort Worth, TX; Leah C. Hiebert, Missoula, MT; Eline L. Kok, Englewood, CO; Rebekah A. Seifer, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
American Airlines $5K Educational Scholarship: Sadaf Imani, Norman, OK; Nicole M. Lund Omaha, NB; Meyeon (Cecilia) Kim, Longview, TX
American Airlines Engineering Scholarship: Lilian Ng’ang’a, Daytona Beach, FL
American Airlines Aircraft Maintenance Technician Scholarship: Kirstie McLean, Las Vegas, NV
American Airlines Veterans Initiative Scholarship: Kristen R. Williams, Accokeek, MD; Kelly P. Wilhite, Lancaster, KY
Anne Bridge Baddour Aviation Scholarship: Samantha Horne, Avon, NY
AOPA Student Pilot Scholarship: Madelief Schelvis, Boulder Creek, CA
ATP General Aviation Maintenance Scholarship: Kathryn Brenner, Antioch, IL
Beyond and Above Corporate Flight Attendant Training: Maria Vittoria Borile, Van Nuys, CA; Tanya Pluckrose, Redondo Beach, CA; Kristen R. Williams, Accokeek, MD; Adrienne H. Dyner Maplewood, NJ; Tanya L. Hayes, Littleton, CO
Blackburn Northwest Flight Scholarship: Heather N. Kelly, Portland, OR; Elissa Lardon, Mukilteo, WA; Laura Lloyd, Vancouver, WA; Lily Moorhead, Waco, TX; Min Sun Park, Federal Way, WA; Amber Stevenson, Portland, OR
Boeing Company Career Enhancement Scholarship: Michelle M. Bennett, Vienna, VA; Lillian M. Burns, Orem, UT; Rebecca L. Vilcheck, Columbus, OH; Michelle T. Bassanesi, Rome, Italy
Bombardier Learjet 45 Type Rating Scholarship: Jordan A. Garner Auburn, AL
Bonita Jean Olson Memorial Scholarship: Maureen Okoth, Webuye, Kenya
Bunny M. Connors Memorial Scholarship: Juanita B. Falck, Riverside, CA
Career Eagles Aviation Flight Education Scholarship: Abbigail T. Bredfield, Cabot, AR
Career Eagles Aviation General Aviation Scholarship: Kristy M. Harmison, Bluffton, SC
Christine Reed Memorial Flight Scholarship: Tara Ryan, Louisville, KY
CommutAir Flight Scholarship: Sarah E. Wolfe, Narvon, PA
Dare to Dream Scholarship: Christine Potje, Bieber, CA; Ashley Taylor, Maricopa, AZ; Melissa Hanthorn, St. Louis, MO
Delta Air Lines Aircraft Maintenance Technology Scholarship: Maureen Murphy, Bridgewater, MA
Delta Air Lines Aviation Maintenance Management/Aviation Business Management: Destry Jacobs, Gilbert, AZ
Delta Air Lines Boeing 777 Type Rating Certificate Scholarships: Christine Zavodnik, Columbus, OH; Kathryn Kemp, Mendota Heights, MN
Delta Air Lines Engineering Scholarship: Stephanie Spolar, Orlando, FL
Delta Air Lines Engine Maintenance Internship: Megan Whittard, Chandler, AZ
Diane Ballweg Scholarship: Ashley Benton, Troy, MO; Leslie Caubble, Kihei, HA; Michele Darr, Moline, IL; Chloe dePerre, Lafayette, IN; Martha Doyle, Portland, OR; Tammy Farrell, Soldotna, AK; Jennifer Fleischer, Hanover, NNH; Michelle Graves, Orlando, FL; Carol Hannah, Queen Creek, AZ; Lisa Konkel Salt Lake City, UT; Rebecca Manville, Colorado Springs, CO; Kristy Maslanka, Houston, TX; Jessica Meiris, Colorado Springs, CO; Anastasia Nikiforov, Watertown, MA; Jessica Zavala Storrs, CT
Elisha Hall Memorial Scholarship—WAI The Wright Chapter: Meggan Kittmer, Limoges, Ont., CN
FedEx Express Boeing 757/767 Type Rating Scholarship: Heather Rae Kelly, Las Vegas, NV; Angela A. Jennings, Centerton, AR
FedEx Express (JT8D Engine): Miami Dade College Homestead, FL
HAI Helicopter Maintenance Scholarship: Mikelle J. Feik, North Powder, OR
HAI Initial Helicopter Scholarship: Kirstie McLean, Las Vegas, NV
High Flight Aviation Scholarship: Kaley Anderson, Winter Park, FL
ISA+21 Airline Type Rating Scholarship: Chelsea Bartlett, Spokane, WA; Pema Lama, Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal; Sarah Rovner, Houston, TX
ISA+21 Financial (CFI, CFII or MEI Certification) Scholarship: April Miklos, Boise, ID; Heather N. Kelly, Portland, OR; Natalya Shemigon, Lafayette, CO; Katherine Wisniewski, Orange City, FlL
It’s About Time Scholarship: Khodani Davhana, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Janet Clark Memorial Scholarship–WAI Washington State Chapter: Elizabeth Rahmlow, Grand Forks, ND
Jeppesen Flight Training: Tiffani L. Shiro, Coloma, CA
June Bonesteel Certified Flight Instructor Scholarship sponsored by Aviation First Consulting: Melissa Hanthorn, St. Louis, MO
Keep Flying Scholarship 2018: Remington Viney, Sun Prairie, WI; Nicole Wandrey, Oakland Park, FL
Kelsey Meyer Memorial Scholarship: Madison Haney, Killen, AL
Late Bloomers Flight Scholarship: Michelle “Shellie” Darr, Moline, IL
The Martha King Scholarship for Women Flight Instructors: Sarina Houston, Pittsboro, NC
Paul Bradford Memorial Scholarship in Association with The National Warplane Museum: Roxanne Parker, Fallbrook, CA
Pratt & Whitney Maintenance Scholarships: Adeeba Ghazal, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan; Primerose Gitau, Nairobi, Kenya; Brittany Lanahan, New Smyrna, FL; Morgan Lindsay, Oscoda, MI; Coryn Porter, Mount Kisco, NY; Jennifer Serrano-Gual, Mableton, GA
Republic Airways “Nothing but Blue Skies” Aviator Scholarship: Dallas L. Syverson, Walker, IA
Signature Flight Support: Michelle M. Bennett, Vienna, VA
Southwest Airlines Dispatch Training: Jordan Gunn, Dyersburg, TN
Southwest Airlines Flight Training: Caitlin Bute, Shakopee, MN; Carlee Cramer, Mesa, AZ; McKenzie Krutsinger, Sidney, IL; Larissa Vculek, Mankato, MN; Annie Slippy, Sandpoint, ID; Rebecca Sedlak, N. Royalton, OH
Southwest Airlines Maintenance Training: Hilary P. Stevens, Port Orange, FL; Margaret Lorinczi, Kalamazoo, MI
Sporty’s Foundation: Diar “Didi” Aranki, Fullerton, CA
Sun Country Airlines: Mickael Ashworth, Bloomington, IL
Ted Mallory Memorial Scholarship: Alexa R. Dunn, Yelm, WA
Tools for Aircraft Maintenance (TAM)/Snap-On Industrial: Faith Lorenz, Marthasville, MO
United Airlines Pilots Scholarship: April Miklos, Boise, ID; Madison Wittenburg, Springville, IA; Annie Slippy, Sandpoint, ID
United Airlines Tech Ops Scholarship: Emma Rasmussen, Parker, CO; Denise Nicole McGarity, Fort Belvoir, VA
Universal Weather & Aviation FAA-certified Dispatcher Training Scholarship: Olivia J. Lisbon, Lakeland, FL
WAI Achievement Award: Anusha A. Gregory (Individual), Warrenton, VA; Dee A. Barnes (Student), Coeur D’Alene, ID
WAI Sponsor Award: Sugey Enriquez, Salinas, CA; Dulce Perez, Salinas, CA
WAI Atlanta “Gone with the Wind” Chapter Scholarship: Bonna Herlocher, Peachtree Corners, GA
WAI Spirit of Columbus Chapter Jerrie Mock Memorial Scholarship: Laura Laster, Longview, TX
WAI Oshkosh Chapter Spirit of Flight Scholarship: Gabrielle F. Palmas, Chandler, AZ
The Wings for Val Foundation LT Valerie Cappelaere Delaney Memorial Scholarship: La’Shanda Holmes, Miami, FL; Alexandra Kemp (Finalist), Alpharetta, GA; Lea van den Brink (Finalist), Massy, France
The Wings for Val Foundation CPT Sara Knutson Cullen Memorial Scholarship: Madison Warner, Salt Lake City, UT
Wings Over 35: Noreen Bowdon, Fairview, OR; Marlene Duvall, Hoonah, AK
Women in Corporate Aviation Career Scholarship: Andrea P. Garcia, Buena Park, CA; Paul Pelletier, Columbia, CT
Women Military Aviators–Dream of Flight Scholarship: Sara Searles, Reno, NV; Kerrie Bourne, Fort Worth, TX
Yukiko Howell Memorial STEM Scholarship–WAI Washington State Chapter: Kirsten A. Reid, Bellevue, MI
