I am passionate about a career in aviation because flying has given me the opportunity to challenge myself, work with incredible people, and be part of something bigger than myself. The more involved I have become in aviation, the more I have realized that I do not just want to be a pilot—I want to contribute to the aviation community and help shape its future. One of the most meaningful experiences in my aviation journey was serving on the 2026 UND Air Race Classic Team. Racing across the country with an all-female team introduced me to women pilots from every stage of aviation. I met college students, airline pilots, and women in their 70s and 80s who had spent decades in the industry. Hearing their stories and learning from their experiences showed me how many different paths a career in aviation can take. It also showed me the importance of having strong role models and a supportive community. That experience strengthened my passion for increasing the representation of women in aviation. As a student pursuing degrees in Commercial Aviation and Aviation Management at the University of North Dakota, I have met so many talented women who are passionate about flying. I have also seen firsthand that women can still be underestimated or treated differently because of their gender. These experiences have motivated me to be part of creating an industry where people are recognized for their skills, professionalism, and character rather than their gender. The Air Race Classic also showed me the kind of aviation community I want to be part of. Although we were competing against one another, teams constantly supported each other, shared advice, and celebrated each other's accomplishments. That sense of community was one of my favorite parts of the experience. It reminded me that aviation is not just about operating an aircraft; it is about the people you meet, the relationships you build, and the opportunities you have to learn from one another. I have carried that mindset into my involvement at UND. As I begin another year, I am excited to serve as the Director of Public Relations for the Student Aerospace Advisory Council. Through this role, I hope to encourage professionalism, respect, and a strong sense of community among students. I want to help create an environment where the next generation of pilots feels confident pursuing aviation and knows that they belong in this industry. Ultimately, I am passionate about aviation because it gives me the opportunity to keep learning, challenge myself, build relationships, and make a difference. I hope to use both my Commercial Aviation and Aviation Management degrees to build a career where I can fly professionally while also contributing to the industry beyond the cockpit. The women I have met through aviation have shown me the impact that representation, mentorship, and encouragement can have. I want to be that person for the next generation and help make aviation an industry where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

One issue I care deeply about is the lack of women in aviation. As a student pursuing degrees in Commercial Aviation and Aviation Management at the University of North Dakota, I have met so many talented women who are passionate about flying. I have also seen how often women are underestimated or treated differently because of their gender. Even after completing the same training and meeting the same standards, women still have to work harder to earn the same respect. One of the most meaningful experiences of my aviation journey was serving on the 2026 UND Air Race Classic Team. Racing across the country with an all-female teams introduced me to women pilots of every age and experience level. I met college students, airline pilots, and women in their 70s and 80s who had spent decades in aviation. Every one of them shared a story about being doubted, talked down to, or overlooked because they were women. Hearing those stories from some of the most accomplished pilots I have ever met was both inspiring and frustrating. As the team's Social Media Manager, I saw another side of those challenges. During the race, I managed our social media accounts and spent hours deleting sexist comments on our posts and the posts of other Air Race Classic teams. Men shared GIFs of airplane crashes, joked that they were "not flying today" because women were in the cockpit, or claimed women were bad pilots. Watching our team and so many other highly skilled pilots be reduced to outdated stereotypes was disappointing. It reminded me that creating change in aviation is about more than flying airplanes. It also means challenging the attitudes that discourage women from entering the industry.
 The Air Race Classic also showed me the kind of aviation community I hope to be part of. Even though it is a competition, the atmosphere was incredibly supportive. Teams celebrated each other's successes, shared advice, and built lasting friendships. That experience reinforced how powerful mentorship and representation can be and reminded me how important it is to create spaces where women feel welcome. As I begin another year at UND, I am excited to serve as the Director of Public Relations for the Student Aerospace Advisory Council (SAAC). In this role, I hope to encourage conversations about professionalism and respect within the school. Most of the sexism I have seen has come from older faculty members rather than students, and I want every student to feel heard and respected in the classroom. I believe the most practical way to create lasting change is by focusing on the next generation of pilots. While some people who have held outdated views for decades may never change their opinions, today's young pilots are still forming theirs. If we can show young boys and aspiring aviators that women are just as capable in the cockpit, we can help build a future where respect is based on skill instead of gender. Change will not happen overnight, but it starts with the examples we set. Looking ahead, I hope to use both my Commercial Aviation and Aviation Management degrees to make aviation more welcoming for the next generation. Whether I am flying professionally or working in leadership, I want to help create an industry where people are judged by their skills and character, not by their gender. The women I met through the Air Race Classic showed me what that future can look like, and I hope to help make it the standard rather than the exception.

The first time I took the controls of an airplane, I wasn’t thinking about college or careers. I was focused on the sky ahead of me and the rush of realizing: I’m actually flying. That Discovery Flight over the Oregon landscape changed everything. I didn’t just fall in love with flight, I realized I had the focus, determination, and passion to pursue it for life. Since that day, I’ve actively built a foundation in aviation. I’ve trained on simulators, interned at RDD Enterprises (where I now work full-time), and collaborated with engineers on real aircraft development projects. Specifically with interior. With my sewing skills I have sewn the seats for 5 private jets over the last year working before school every day. I also had the opportunity to give our 1970 Cessna 150 a facelift with new leather seats designed and sewn by me. As I have begun my flight training at RDD it has been so rewarding to look around at the interior of the plane and know I had an hand in making and designed everything. This experience has deepened my understanding of aviation and fueled my desire to make it my career. It’s more than a passion, it’s a calling. That calling is rooted not just in the experience of flying, but also in the science behind it. In AP Physics, I discovered a love for understanding how things work. Especially how forces, motion, and energy come together to make flight possible. Building and launching rockets in class gave me a hands-on appreciation for aerodynamics, propulsion, and the thrill of seeing theory take off (literally). Physics challenged me in the best ways and reinforced that aviation is where my curiosity and excitement for learning truly come alive. This passion has led me to the University of North Dakota, where I will study Commercial Aviation and work toward becoming a professional pilot. UND’s reputation for excellence in flight training and its strong emphasis on leadership align perfectly with my goals. I’m especially eager to join the UND Air Race Classic Team, which just won the intercollegiate category in 2025. I dream of helping UND become back-to-back champions. I can’t wait to contribute to that tradition, representing UND with excellence, determination, and integrity in the skies. Leadership has always been an important part of my journey. Whether guiding a mission team in Tijuana or supporting peers in school and extracurriculars, I strive to lead by example, with humility, service, and faith. My Christian faith grounds me and gives deeper purpose to my goals. I don’t just want to fly airplanes. I want to live a life of meaning, responsibility, and connection. In aviation, I see the opportunity to do all of that. Aviation brings together my love of challenge, my desire to serve others, and my belief in purposeful work. With UND’s training and the support of this scholarship, I am excited to become a pilot who makes a difference both in the cockpit and in the world.

Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by STEM, thanks to my dad’s career in civil engineering, specifically in water quality and infrastructure. From a young age, I was fascinated by the work he did—ensuring communities had access to clean water, maintaining infrastructure, and solving complex engineering challenges. He often explained how water treatment plants function, how pipelines are designed to distribute water efficiently, and the importance of maintaining sustainable infrastructure. His enthusiasm for his work and his ability to solve real-world problems inspired me to think critically, ask questions, and develop a strong appreciation for STEM. His encouragement played a significant role in shaping my own career aspirations. While I didn’t follow in his exact footsteps, I found my passion in aviation—another field deeply rooted in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Studying Commercial Aviation at the University of North Dakota allows me to apply STEM principles daily, from understanding aerodynamics and meteorology to mastering flight systems and navigation technology. Aviation is a career that demands precision, problem-solving, and continuous learning, and I love the challenge it presents. Beyond the technical aspects, aviation represents freedom, adventure, and endless possibilities. Flying is more than just operating an aircraft—it’s about understanding the physics behind flight, the engineering of complex systems, and the technology that keeps pilots and passengers safe. Every day, I am motivated by the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and refine my skills in a field that is constantly evolving. However, I also recognize that aviation, like many STEM fields, has historically been male-dominated. Women make up a small percentage of professional pilots, and I want to be part of the movement that changes that. Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate to have a strong role model in my dad—someone who not only supported my STEM interests but also showed me that technical fields are open to anyone willing to put in the effort. I hope to pass that encouragement forward by inspiring young women to see aviation and other STEM careers as attainable and exciting paths. Representation matters, and I want to be an example that women belong in aviation, engineering, and all areas of STEM. My goal is not only to become a professional pilot but also to be an advocate for women in STEM. Whether through mentorship, outreach, or simply leading by example, I want to show others that they belong in these spaces. I want to encourage young girls to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics without hesitation, knowing that their contributions are valuable and necessary. STEM fields shape the world around us, from the infrastructure that delivers clean water to the aircraft that connect people across the globe. Women have an essential role to play in these industries, and I am committed to proving that with hard work, passion, and perseverance, anything is possible. As I continue my journey in aviation, I am excited not only for my own future but for the impact I can have in encouraging the next generation of women to pursue their own dreams in STEM.

My grandfather Bob Fuller managed drinking water projects for CH2M HILL in Portland from 1974 until 2009. My father Brady Fuller has managed wastewater/ water projects and managed sales for CH2M HILL (now Jacobs) from 1998 until present in Corvallis, Seattle, and Bend, Oregon. I've had a first hand exposure and understanding how rewarding a career in STEM can be as I’ve seen my dad talk with interest about his different projects and taken me to see them all over Oregon and Washington. We couldn’t go on any trip throughout my childhood without my dad pointing out projects he’d worked on or other local water infrastructure. In high school, I discovered a passion for physics and aviation and am pursuing that in a four year degree in aviation. I’m also earning my Private Pilot License this spring prior to entering into the Commercial Aviation program at the University of North Dakota. My passion for aviation started four years ago after an unforgettable flight in a floatplane in rural Alaska. That experience sparked my dream of becoming a pilot, and since then, I’ve worked hard to make it a reality. With the ultimate goal of flying for a major airline. To prepare for my future career, I’ve gained hands-on experience in the aviation industry. My internship-turned-job at RDD Enterprises, a local aircraft manufacturer, has given me an inside look at aviation operations. As an Interior Technician, I fabricate and assemble aircraft interiors and assist with maintenance inside an active hangar. Working around multiple aircraft at a time has shown me how much teamwork, precision, and dedication go into aviation. The people I’ve met in this field have been incredibly supportive, reinforcing my passion for the industry. Beyond aviation, I am involved in my school and community in many ways. I am the Team Captain for both my cross-country and Nordic skiing teams and also compete in track, running hurdles and the 1500-meter race. These sports have taught me resilience, leadership, and time management—qualities I know will help me in my future career. I’m also very active in theater, serving as President of my school’s Theater Club, stage manager, and costume designer for all main stage productions. Outside of school, I work in lighting and sound for local performances and concerts, which has strengthened my problem-solving and technical skills. Giving back to my community is something I value deeply. I have been a Sunday School teacher for four years, working with 2nd and 3rd graders, and I also run lights and sound for high school events twice a week. These experiences have allowed me to develop strong leadership and communication skills while making a meaningful impact on those around me. I thrive in busy, challenging environments, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. My goal is to become an airline pilot, but I’m just as excited for the journey it will take to get there—building flight hours, gaining experience, and learning from others in the industry. Becoming a pilot requires patience, discipline, and adaptability, all of which I have developed through my academic, athletic, and professional experiences. Looking ahead, I hope to use my career to inspire and mentor others. Whether it’s encouraging young students to explore aviation, supporting STEM education initiatives, or helping future pilots navigate their own journeys, I want to give back to the aviation community, like my Dad and Grandad give back to CH2M HILL community.