Air Canada has announced the opening of the application process for the third annual Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship, established in honor of the airline’s first female pilot to help the next generation of women follow in her trailblazing footsteps. The scholarship is awarded in conjunction with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
Air Canada also announced it will support this important initiative for three more years.
“As the aviation industry continues rebuilding, we remain committed to fostering the next generation of young women pursuing aviation dreams in non-traditional careers. Over the past two years, the Captain Judy Cameron scholarship has helped seven talented and bright young women follow their dreams in our industry and we look forward to selecting the next honorees. We are also extremely pleased to be able to extend our support to this scholarship for an additional three years,” said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada. “Our airline counts within its ranks numerous capable and qualified women who pilot some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world, and skilled engineers who maintain them, as well as women who work in specialized, multidisciplinary airline operations. The sky is truly the limit at Air Canada for all qualified people.”
“It was wonderful to be able to congratulate the 2021 Captain Judy Cameron Air Canada scholarship recipients in person at the Northern Lights Aero Foundation award Gala on October 16th.These four young women have demonstrated a passion for aviation and the willingness to mentor and support others. With the help of Air Canada’s scholarship, they will do amazing things. Equally moving were the videos from the 2020 recipients, who have made great progress as they continue their career journeys. Thanks to Air Canada for helping them to make their dreams a reality. I’m thrilled that this scholarship will continue for an additional three years, showing Air Canada’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in aviation, and I look forward to meeting the 2022 recipients,” Captain Judy Cameron said.
“I want to thank Air Canada and Captain Judy Cameron for allowing me to get the scholarship. It has given me the opportunity to meet so many incredible women from across Canada that are in aviation and aerospace. I am very thankful to Captain Judy Cameron for paving the way in the industry for young women like myself,” said Urooj Ali.
“I am infinitely honored to be the recipient of the Captain Judy Cameron Air Canada scholarship because it helped me achieve my Multi IFR training which by completing gave me the job opportunity to be a forest detector pilot. From April to September, I flew a Cessna 182 retractable and was able to discover new places, airports, amazing sceneries and of course some fires. Between April and September. Thank you so much to Air Canada, Captain Judy Cameron and to Norther Lights Aero Foundation,” said Kahina Gagnon.
Hear last year’s other winners, Winnie Ho and Caitlyn Lam, talk about how the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship has helped advance their aviation dreams.
And you can learn more about the 2021 winners in this video.
Judy Cameron became the first female pilot hired by Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, in April 1978 at the age of 23. She was the first woman to graduate from Selkirk College’s Aviation Technology Program in 1975. Throughout her flying career of 40 years and over 23,000 hours, she has flown the DC-3, Twin Otter, Hawker Siddeley 748, DC-9, Lockheed 1011, Airbus 320, Boeing 767, and Boeing 777 to the far corners of the world. She became a captain in 1997 and in 2010, she became the first female captain in Canada of a Boeing 777, the largest aircraft in Air Canada’s fleet. She retired in 2015, received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights award in the Flight Operations category that year, and in 2016 she was chosen by the 99s (International Organization of Women Pilots) to be on its Canadian postage stamp.
In 2019, Air Canada committed to awarding $20,000 per year for three years toward the Captain Judy Cameron scholarship, and today has re-committed its support for an additional three years. This scholarship targets young women in pursuit of a career as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers who may not have the financial means to do so.
Applications for the scholarship are open and will be accepted until November 30, 2021. It will be open to all women who are Canadian citizens who have been accepted or are enrolled in a post-secondary aviation flight program or aircraft repair and maintenance program. Those selected to receive a scholarship will be notified by February 7, 2022.
