NextGen Spotlight
By Regan Tunstall
As another successful scholarship season comes to an end, we want to thank all of our donors and applicants who participated for the 2025 scholarship program! We have been very fortunate to continue growing our scholarship funding every year, with the help of our valued contributors. This year we had a total of 208 scholarship applicants! As we work hard to make headway in the grading process, we wish every applicant the best of luck in their endeavors and want to continue encouraging people to apply every season.
In February, we also finished wrapping up our second online ground school program, that offered an 8-week course through Angle of Attack or FLY8MA with weekly study sessions held by us. We want to thank both ground schools for their partnership, and the guest instructors who volunteered their time to review lessons each week. We hope to continue hosting an online ground school every year and help support those making their way in the aviation industry.
We’re looking forward to hosting more NextGen events this summer to help the community engage, build connections, and discover resources to help them pursue their aviation goals. At this year’s Great Alaska Aviation Gathering, we will be holding our annual scholarship ceremony on Saturday May 3rd to celebrate the 2025 scholarship recipients. We encourage you to stick around and give them a round of applause for their hard work and dedication in their journey!
2024 Scholarship Recipient Update:
We are excited to share an update from Brayden Parrent who has made impressive strides in his aviation training at Big Bend Community College. Brayden has finished his first quarter at college and is just one check ride away from finalizing his private pilot training. He is eager to finish out the year strong and enter their second year of training, where he will focus on completing instrument and commercial ratings, as well as continuing their degree.
He shared his appreciation for the Alaska Airmen’s Association and all the generous donors who support scholarships. Thank you, Brayden!
“The aviation career path is not a cheap one, and I’m so thankful for the financial support that helps make this dream a reality”