WAI Grants Almost 1/2 Million Dollars in Scholarships, Inducts 3 Aviators into Hall of Fame

Women in Aviation International has successfully held their 33rd annual conference, once again celebrating and boosting women in aviation. 

This year, the group took to the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, from March 17-19 for a slate of speakers, exhibitors, and educational sessions. Once through with the education, the conference concluded with scholarship awards, and inductions into the Pioneer Hall of Fame. The conference is one of the best places to rub elbows with the movers and shakers of every segment of aviation, from business, to mainstream carriers, to the engineering side of aerospace. The conference is home to more than 103 scholarships for young members, totaling more than $473,000 in awards this year.  

Recognitions issued during the event included the admittance of Cornelia Clark Fort, Rosemary Mariner, and Peggy Phillips to the Pioneer hall of fame. Fort was the first female pilot to die on active duty, Mariner, one of the first women to train as a naval aviator, and Phillips the first to be selected by the 702nd Military Airlift Squadron to attend Undergraduate Pilot Training. 

“The strength of WAI lies in the celebration of so many like-minded women who come together to share their passion for aviation and aerospace, support each other, learn from each other, and foster the next generation in aviation.” said Women in Aviation International CEO Allison McKay. 

“We hosted dozens of networking and education sessions, assembled another extraordinary group of keynote speakers, honored three trailblazing pioneers during our annual Pioneer Hall of Fame induction, and presented more than $473,000 in scholarships to deserving WAI members. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, our passionate members, and impressive collection of exhibitors, Women in Aviation International 2022 was an amazing venue to commemorate Women’s History month and advance our mission to connect, engage, and inspire our current and future workforce of diverse and accomplished members,” she said.

FMI: www.wai.org