For more information, contact Trisha Drape,
director of communications for the AEA, at 816-347-8400 or trishad@aea.net.
For immediate release:
April 4, 2012

Scholarship Recipients Announced April 4 During the AEA Official Opening

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 4, 2012 -- During the Official Opening at the 55th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show on Wednesday, April 4, the Aircraft Electronics Association announced the names of 25 individuals who were awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year through the AEA Educational Foundation.

This year, the AEA was honored to administer the inaugural Aircell Scholarship, which recently was announced by its sponsor company.  Aircell, through a generous donation valued at more than $50,000 to AEA's scholarship campaign, will offer a $2,500 award annually to an aspiring avionics or aircraft maintenance technician.

The AEA scholarships and the individuals who were awarded include: 

• Leon Harris/Les Nichols Memorial Scholarship to Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology: Benjamin Taylor, Mesquite, Texas.
• Tom Taylor Memorial Scholarship to Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology: Bret Wardlaw, Okeene, Okla.
• Thomas J. Slocum Memorial Scholarship to Redstone College: Matthew Davidson, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Aircell Scholarship: Heather Behrent, Oshkosh, Wis.
• L-3 Communications Avionics Systems Scholarship: Jacob Prange, Rochester, Mich.
• Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship - sponsored by Pacific Southwest Instruments: Jennifer Lawson, Sapulpa, Okla.
• Garmin Scholarship: Kyle Johnson, Lakeland, Fla.
• Field Aviation Scholarship: Mike Vanoosteroom, Thunder Bay, Canada.
• Duncan Aviation Scholarship: Alexander Pascoe, Cape May Court House, N.J.
• Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Scholarship: Thomas Vernon, Flushing, Mich.
• Rockwell Collins Scholarship: Annette Lovett, Gulfport, Fla.
• Southeast Aerospace Scholarship: Aaron Prince, Geigertown, Penn.
• Garmin - Jerry Smith Memorial Scholarship: Jace Wickman, Belleville, Mich.
• Bud Glover Memorial Scholarship: Adam Thornburg, Greensboro, N.C.
• David Arver Memorial Scholarship: Logan Owens, Alexander, Kan.
• Dutch & Ginger Arver Memorial Scholarship: David Fowler, O'Fallon, Mo.
• Johnny Davis Memorial Scholarship: Adam Stultz, New Paris, Penn.
• Lowell Gaylor Memorial Scholarship: Jeremy Morgan, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Gene Baker Memorial Scholarship: Lindsay Tripp, Pendleton, N.Y.
• Jim Cook Honorary Scholarship: Brittni Case,  San Antonio, Texas.
• Chuck Peacock Memorial Scholarship: Emanuele Evangelista, Miami, Fla.
• Flying Magazine's Private Pilot's License (two awards): Mark Snyder, Spirit Avionics, Pickerington, Ohio, and Robin Hill, Krueger Aviation, Sacramento, Calif.
• Sporty's Foundation Recreational Pilot Certificate (two awards): Adam VanLente, Spirit Avionics, Westerville, Ohio, and Richard Zeier, Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics, Van Nuys, Calif.

The AEA Educational Foundation awards scholarships to students pursuing a career in the general aviation maintenance and aircraft electronics industry. The intent of these scholarships is to identify and reward those individuals who best exemplify the qualities that lead to success in the aviation industry.

The Foundation was created in 1990 to enhance, promote and secure the future of aviation maintenance and the AEA by furthering the education of students, technicians, members of the AEA and others as determined by aviation industry needs.

Since its inception, the AEA scholarship program has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships. Numerous awards are available, ranging from $1,000 to more than $30,000 each. Requests for complete scholarship packages for the 2013-14 academic year can be made after Oct. 1, 2012, online at www.aea.net/scholarship.  The deadline for returning applications is Feb. 15, 2013.

These scholarships will be awarded during the 56th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show, which takes place March 25-28, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information about the AEA Educational Foundation, contact Mike Adamson at 816-347-8400 or send emails to mikea@aea.net.