ISU establishes aviation scholarships
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Indiana State University is set to receive $100,000 from Indianapolis-based Republic Airways to support student scholarships and the university’s Be So Bold fundraising campaign. ISU says the funding will be used to create two $50,000 scholarships for aviation students who come from historically marginalized communities.
The Willa B. Brown Scholarship will support African American women in aviation. Brown was a 1931 ISU graduate and the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license in the United States, among other accomplishments.
The Esteban Hotesse Scholarship will be awarded to a Hispanic student in aviation. Hotesse was the only Dominican-born member of the Tuskegee Airmen and was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force before he tragically died in a training flight over southern Indiana in 1945.
“Indiana State University prepares students well for a career in the dynamic world of aviation,” said ISU President Dr. Deborah Curtis. “This contribution will support more students’ pursuit of this marketable field of study.”
The university and Republic say the scholarships are also a way of highlighting aviation pioneers with strong ties to the Hoosier State.
“It’s not often we get the opportunity to impact the future by highlighting the past,” said Republic Airways Senior Manager of Educational Programs Darrell Morton. “With the establishment of two scholarships at Indiana State University, Republic Airways is able to provide support for students from historically marginalized backgrounds pursuing degrees in aviation.”
The scholarships will be awarded to aviation students beginning in the 2023-24 academic year.