Scholarships

     What kind of aviation scholarships occur in South Dakota?  It took some digging, but here is what was found.  If an aviation scholarship was missed, please let us know and we will alert our members about it (skyhawk@iw.net).

 

     General aviation in South Dakota needs more scholarships to assistance young people in getting started in aviation careers.  Endowing a scholarship in an aviation program with a gift of $10,000 can result in an annual $500 scholarship (5% payout).  Likewise, a gift of property that can be sold and turned into an endowment fund for a scholarship.  Purchasing a small insurance policy and making the beneficiary an endowment fund at a school, college, or university with an aviation program would also benefit young people.  Scholarships are a great way to encourage general aviation careers among young people.  Think about it.  Wouldn’t establishing an endowed scholarship be a great way to remember a special person in your like – even yourself.  An example is the Greg Boight Scholarship, which was a one-time $500 scholarship for a student in the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Lake Area Technical Institute, Watertown, during the 2003-2004 school year was given in the name of a Watertown aviation mechanic. 

 

The Becker-Hansen Memorial Scholarship was established in January 1998 by the South Dakota Pilots Association to honor the memory and spirit of state pilots Ron Becker (left) and Dave Hansen (right), who lost their lives in the crash of the state's MU-2 aircraft, which killed Governor George Michelson and five others. The Scholarship originally awarded $500 annually to a South Dakota pilot or student pilot to complete their training or a rating. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage more pilot starts and advanced ratings in South Dakota. The award was increased to $800 beginning in 2005.

The criteria for the award and the nomination form are located below. Nomination forms are due to the SDPA President no later than mid-August. Judging of the nominations by the SDPA officers will occur in September, and the award winner announced in the November issue of SDPA News.

Past Winners:

  • 1998 Al Rohrbach (Pierre; $500)
  • 1999 Denise Vig (Faith; $500)
  • 2000 Misti Ausland (Florence; $500)
  • 2001 Joshua Grundt (Rapid City; $500)
  • 2002 Jody Weiderback (Watertown; $500)
  • 2003 Tyler Johnson (Brandon; $500)
  • 2004 Bob Arneson (Rapid City; $500)

  • 2005 Kevin Hamann (Sioux Falls; $800)

  • 2006 Scott Schramm (Brookings; $800)
  • 2007 Timothy Hyke (Huron, $800)
  • 2008 (Somewhere in SD; $800) 

Criteria for the Becker-Hansen Memorial Scholarship Award

  1. The candidate must be at least 16 years old and sponsored by a member of the SDPA.
  2. The sponsor must write a letter of recommendation, and highlight any characteristics or accomplishments of the candidate as they apply to aviation, and clubs or organizations they are a member of such as SDPA, AOPA, EAA, Civil Air Patrol, local, state, regional, national, or international aviation groups, etc.
  3. The sponsor shall complete the "Becker-Hansen Memorial Scholarship Nomination" form, sign it, and submit it to the SDPA President by mid-August.
  4. The nominee completes the section of the nomination form titled "I am deserving of the scholarship because . . ..”, signs it, and submits it to the SDPA President (or attach a letter signed by the nominee).
  5. The funds are to be used exclusively for obtaining a pilot's license or to upgrade a current license (add a rating).
  6. The scholarship funds must be expended within 12 months of the time of the award.
  7. A SD-based instructor must conduct the training.
  8. Cost of instruction should be billed directly to the SDPA Treasurer as the training progresses and will be paid up to a total of $700. The final $100 will be paid after the scholarship winner provides a 1-page typed summary/story about their training experience (total $800) (see criteria #9).
  9. The Scholarship winner shall report in a 1-page typed summary/story to the SDPA President about their training experience within 1 year after receiving the award. The story will published in the SDPA News.

SDPA Aviation Mechanic Scholarship:  The South Dakota Pilots Association created the SDPA Aviation Mechanic Scholarship in September 2005 to acknowledge the importance of aviation maintenance technicians to aviation in South Dakota.  The scholarship is to assist and recognize students enrolled in the Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program at Lake Area Technical Institute, Watertown, SD.  Each year SDPA will award $500 to a second-year student in the AMT Program [hot link to http://www.lakeareatech.edu/programs/aviation/index.html] through the Lake Area Technical Foundation.  This Scholarship program is one method SDPA has for “giving something back” to the aviation community. 

Criteria for the SDPA Aviation Mechanic Scholarship Award

 

  1. The candidate must be a second-year student enrolled in the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program at the Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI) and have maintained the satisfactory progress requirements as state in the LATI student handbook.
  2. The candidate must complete the scholarship form and attach a letter stating their interest in aviation maintenance and their future plans in aviation maintenance.  The letter should list outstanding personal qualities that make him/her a deserving candidate for the scholarship such as highlighting any characteristics or accomplishments of the candidate as they apply to aviation or to clubs or organizations they are a member of such as SDPA, AOPA, EAA, Civil Air Patrol, local, state, regional, national, or international aviation groups, etc. 
  3. Winner selection and administration of scholarship funds will be accomplished by the Lake Area Technical Institute Foundation and Aviation Maintenance Technology department supervisor/instructors.
  4. Scholarship applications will be made available in mid October to the AMT department supervisor and applications will be given to each second- year student. Deadline for application: Completed applications are due at the LATI Foundation Office by the end of November.
  5. The scholarship award will be applied to the recipient’s second semester tuition and fees. 
  6. The SDPA will publish the Scholarship winner’s letter accompanying their application in the SDPA News.  The applicant’s letter will state their interest in aviation maintenance and their future plans in aviation maintenance, along with a list outstanding personal qualities that make them a deserving candidate for the scholarship

Past Winners:

  • 2006 Andy Griese, Hoven, SD
  • 2007 Diane Rehfeld, White, SD
  • 2008 2nd year student at LATI in Aviation Maintenance Technology Program

ACE Camp Scholarships:  The 5-day Aerospace Career and Education (ACE) Camp held annually in July at South Dakota State University (Brookings) receives scholarships from several organizations including the following: Yankton Regional Aviation Association provides two 50% scholarships (1993-2004); SDPA provides two 50% scholarships (1993-2004); South Dakota Aviation Association provides one 100% scholarship (1996-2004; sometimes every other year); Women Work! (WEEA; the National Network for Women’s Employment) provides six 100% scholarships for females (variable 3 to 6); Brookings Chamber of Commerce: The School to Work Program and the Career Learning Center provides five 100% scholarships for disadvantaged youth (variable each year, usually 10 to 12). 

 

Linda Hall-Daschle Scholarship for Aviation Excellence:  This $1,000 Scholarship is awarded annually to a South Dakota State University (Brookings) sophomore Aviation Education student who has received a private pilot’s license through the SDSU Aviation Education program within the last year. The recipient must be a returning student to the Aviation Education Program who has demonstrated outstanding academic and flight training performance.  Aviation Education program Coordinator Jeff Boulware said that four of these scholarships would probably be given out the 2004-2005 school year.  Other requirements can be found at http://learn.sdstate.edu/aviation/opportunities/scholarships.htm

 

Aviation Class Scholarship:  This scholarship is given by the Lake Area Technical Institute Foundation (LATF, Watertown), and is used for students at Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI) in the Aviation Maintenance Technology program.  (Currently no scholarships are awarded from this fund while the account builds.  To make a donation to this fund or any other fund at the LATF, contact them at 605-882-5284, ext. 268). 

 

SD Professional Aviation Mechanics Association Scholarship:  Two $250 scholarships awarded to first-year Aviation Maintenance Technology students at Lake Area Technical Institute, Watertown. 

 

Merit Scholarship:  This scholarship from the LATF goes to any student at Lake Area Technical Institute, including the Aviation Maintenance Technology program, for graduating from high school with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and various ranges of ACT scores (ACT 23-24: $250; ACT 25-27 $500; ACT 28+ $1000).  

 

Achievement Scholarship:  This $500 scholarship from the LATF goes to one second-year student in each of 21 programs at LATI, including the Aviation Maintenance Technology program.  

 

SD Ag in the Classroom:  The South Dakota Aviation Association gives a $250 Scholarship to South Dakota Ag in the Classroom (Pierre), typically alternating with the scholarship they give to the ACE Camp.  For more about South Dakota Ag in the Classroom, go to http://www.sdagclassroom.org. 
NOTE from Andrea Barber, Executive Director, SDAA:  The South Dakota Ag in the Classroom host seminars for teachers, developed a website to use in classrooms, created an interactive CDrom called What's Growing in South Dakota, and host interactive exhibits and activities at places like the Sioux Empire Fair and the South Dakota State Fair.  When the SDAA hosts our fall Fly-In, we invite the 5th and 6th graders in the nearest school to come to the airport -- this year (2004) in Winner the kids got to check out different kinds of planes and go out to the flight line while the planes sprayed the dye for the pattern testing.  During this time Lisa Dorschner, Executive Director of SD Ag in the Classroom, talked to the teachers and gave them teaching materials.  The kids all got aviation brochures from SDAA that day -- I'm not sure if we are the main aviation source for them -- I would assume the Fly-In is probably the most interactive aviation part of what they would be around.

 

EAA Chapter 806 Flying Scholarship:  The Spearfish EAA Chapter 806 established a Flying Scholarship in about 1990 that is available to students in Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Lead, and Deadwood.  Applications and requirements for this scholarship can be requested from Rich Krogstad, Office: 605-642-4607, Cell: 605-641-0099, Email: C21rich@mato.com
Note from Rich Krogstad, Spearfish, on the Flying Scholarship (fall 2005):  The first winner was a young lady in the Belle Fourche High School that has gone on to be a professional pilot and I believe she lives in Watertown now.  We have had other students that took one lesson, some did not take any, some have soloed, and so on.  It has been interesting to say the least, have had as many as 10 applications and as few as 1.  I think the process is described quite well on the application.  When there are a lot of applications, it sometimes takes more than two votes.  It has been a great way to promote aviation in this area. 

 

YRAA Pilot Training Scholarship:  The Yankton Regional Aviation Association and Yankton EAA Chapter 1029 established the YRAA Pilot Training Scholarship in June 2005, and the scholarship is available to students in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska.  Pilot training must be accomplished at a Yankton Regional Area airport:  Bloomfield, Creighton, Hartington, Parkston, Springfield, Vermillion, Wayne, or Yankton.  Applications and criteria can be obtained from Steve Hamilton, Phone 605-665-8448, Email: skyhawk@iw.net.   

 

Aviation Education Scholarships & Grants: Additional aviation education grants can be found at the FAA’s Aviation and Space Education Outreach Program web site at http://employees.faa.gov/worktools/education_outreach.