A UCF student who has always dreamed of soaring through the skies is well on her way thanks to a prestigious scholarship.
Aerospace engineering junior Asia Stanford has won the Women in Aerospace (WIA) Foundation Scholarship. She was one of just four selected from across the nation, receiving $5,000 to help fund her academic journey. Founded in 1985, WIA is dedicated to increasing the visibility of women in the aerospace community to promote the profession and to encourage other women to enter the field.
Stanford was honored at the WIA’s 39th annual awards ceremony held last month in Arlington, Virginia, where she had the opportunity to meet with industry leaders from across the nation.
The award marks a significant steppingstone for Stanford, who says she has been fascinated with flight since she was a child. The recognition for her efforts and achievements among distinguished professionals in her field puts her one step closer to realizing her childhood ambition of working in aeronautics.
“I have always loved aviation as a kid,” she says. “When I was younger, I was the kid in the classroom who wanted to be an astronaut. When I was in middle school my mom signed me up for an aviation camp and I became fascinated with aircraft.”
When it came time to choose a university, Stanford says she was drawn to UCF after researching its aerospace program and its connections with industry giants such as NASA, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
Stanford has built a strong academic foundation to help launch her career. She is a dedicated member of two registered student organizations, the Nu Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, where she serves as engagement and recruitment chair, and the National Society of Black Engineers.
She has also dedicated her time to earning valuable hands-on engineering experience that will help her stand out to future employers. Over the past few summers, Stanford has served as a facility project engineering intern at NASA Kennedy Space Center, a flight deck crew operations intern at Boeing and most recently, a mechanical test engineering intern at Honeywell.
“My career goal is to become a commercial pilot and flight deck engineer,” Stanford says. “After graduation I plan to work as an aerospace engineer and obtain my pilot license.”
Stanford says she is grateful to have earned the WIA scholarship and that it has helped her stay motivated to keep pursuing her career goals.
“This scholarship has not only strengthened my passion for aerospace but has also opened doors for meaningful connections,” Stanford says. “I couldn’t have reached this milestone without the support of my family, school and my internships. I am incredibly honored to receive this scholarship award and to represent the Women in Aerospace Foundation.”
- Written by Bel Huston