Recipients Will Work Overseas At Daher-Socata Facility In France

Kalena Glover of Prescott, AZ, and William McAleer of Birmingham, AL, will receive the work internships of a lifetime, as they have been named recipients of this year’s EAA/Daher-Socata International Scholarships.

The internship program is now in its seventh year. Each recipient receives a five-week internship at Daher-Socata’s Tarbes facility in France, located in the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains, followed by a week at the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh where they’ll help Socata during EAA AirVenture 2013. All travel, lodging, and work experience is included, as well as a side trip to the Airbus facility at Toulouse. For an aspiring student working toward a career in the aviation industry, it’s a dream situation.

“This opportunity gives a one-of-a-kind experience for the internship recipients,” said Nicolas Chabbert, President and CEO of SOCATA North America. “They will spend time with our team in France, gaining expertise in their fields of interest – such as marketing, production, organization, design, support and service. We hope the experience will make a difference in their future careers, while also benefiting our company by working with the next-generation of aviation industry decision-makers.”

While Daher-Socata is currently providing American students a chance to study abroad, the company has encouraged EAA to find companies in the U.S. willing to share such an experience with young people from other parts of the world. For instance, the two interns will have the opportunity to interact with Socata employees as part of a unique cultural exchange.

“Daher-Socata’s commitment provides an incentive, a challenge to EAA Young Eagles, an opportunity for them to explore a variety of career directions within the aviation field first hand, to see what the future holds,” said Elissa Lines, EAA’s vice president of business and donor relations. “For a student, nothing is more important. The cultural exchange, the educational opportunities, and the impact on their lives are tremendous.”

Glover is a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, majoring in aerospace engineering. She is a former EAA Young Eagle and Air Academy attendee. Her career goal is to work on the management side of aircraft and spacecraft design and contribute to the development of new aircraft or spacecraft. McAleer is a junior at Auburn University, majoring in industrial and systems engineering. He already holds a commercial pilot certificate, and has a career goal of using both his aviation experience and engineering education in the aviation industry.

(Pictured: Top, Kalena Glover. Bottom, William McAleer)

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