The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)\nFoundation announced Kailyn Hyman as the inaugural recipient of the AAAE\nDiversity, Equity & Inclusion Scholarship. Hyman is a rising junior at\nHampton University in Virginia, majoring in aviation and air transportation.\nThe announcement was made at the 94th Annual AAAE Conference & Exposition\nin Seattle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scholarship was created as part of AAAE\u2019s ongoing\nefforts to expand support for future aviation leaders through foundation\nscholarships and will be awarded annually to an ethnic minority student (Black\nor African American; Hispanic or Latino; American Indian or Alaska Native;\nAsian; or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders) enrolled in a college or\nuniversity aviation program with a junior, senior or graduate student standing\nand a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThroughout middle and high school, I aspired to do\nsomething different,\u201d said Hyman, who earlier this week began a summer\ninternship at NASA. \u201cI found out that African American women are severely\nunderrepresented in the field of aviation, and that fact is what drew me\ntowards it. I want to change aviation’s face and inspire kids, especially black\ngirls, to do the same.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AAAE First Vice Chair Perry Miller, A.A.E, I.A.P., President\n& CEO at Richmond International Airport in Virginia led a collation of aviation\nleaders in raising funds and awareness for this effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe support of our donors is absolutely vital to the\nsuccess the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Scholarship, and to our ability\nto make a positive and lasting impact in aviation,\u201d Miller said. \u201cWe are\ngrateful for the substantial commitment both financially by our donors and of\ntime by our steering committee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The AAAE Foundation thanks the following major gift donors\nand numerous individual contributors for their generous support of the\nDiversity, Equity & Inclusion scholarship:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DE&I Scholarship Founder – $15,000<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ACS Firm<\/p>\n\n\n\n DE&I Scholarship Leaders – $10,000<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Benjamin R. DeCosta, A.A.E.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HMSHost Corporation<\/p>\n\n\n\n ProDIGIQ, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RS&H<\/p>\n\n\n\n DE&I Scholarship Advocates – $5,000<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n AAAE Executive Management Team<\/p>\n\n\n\n AECOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Burns & McDonnell<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oris and Sylvia Dunham, Jr.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elevated Facility Services Group<\/p>\n\n\n\n Great Lakes Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gresham Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n Northeast Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Northwest Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n South Central Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Southeast Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Southwest Chapter AAAE<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanderlande Industries, Inc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DE&I Scholarship Friends – $3,500<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n C&S Companies<\/p>\n\n\n\n Woolpert<\/p>\n\n\n\n DEI Scholarship supporter ACS Firm highlighted the\nimportance of the initiative. \u201cInclusivity and the development of a diverse\nworkforce for the future is at the center of our work at ACS Firm,\u201d said CEO\nEric Mercado, C.M., ACE. \u201cMy personal hope is that our Founder-level\ncontribution will allow recipients to struggle less as they work to establish\nthemselves in the aviation industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arpit Malaviya, CEO of ProDIGIQ, Inc. added \u201cI am grateful\nfor the ability to contribute to such a noble cause. On behalf of the entire\nProDIGIQ team, we feel honored and are happy to support the next generation of\naviation leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n RS&H CEO David Sweeney noted that \u201cRS&H is proud to\ncontribute to this scholarship that aspires to support and welcome more diverse\nvoices into the future of aviation. By ensuring a strong pool of diverse\ntalent, we can develop creative and forward-thinking solutions to solve the\nbiggest challenges facing us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n