When I was young, I wanted to be a pilot but thought there were no opportunities for me. For so long, being a pilot was this “untouchable thing” and I placed it out of my mind for most of my adult life. I pursued other goals and projects and was happy—however, I still felt incomplete. I thought I’d give back to my community by becoming staff at the University of Houston; this way I could help other students achieve their academic goals in higher education. I’ve done this for over 20 years and created many positive, impactful programs for my students, and yet—I was still fascinated with flying! Each week, I’d go to KIAH to watch aircraft take-off and land, relaxing to the sound of engines roaring as they flew by. I’d look up and say “that’s so cool! I wish I could do that”. For me, regardless of all the things I’ve set out to do and accomplished, I believed that being a pilot was unobtainable for a “person like me”. One day, I spoke to my sister about being a pilot and she excitedly said “DO IT!”. She began pouring her support and excitement into me, explaining that I would be perfect for the career. Why didn’t I ever vocalize my dreams about this to her? I thought I was alone in my aspiration to fly, because I didn’t have the confidence in my abilities or any relatable role models. She has always been supportive of me and suddenly, a blaze was lit under me…I CAN DO THIS! I read about Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American female to obtain her International Pilot license. Her barriers and courage all kindled that fire in me. I researched WAI and The 99’s, and became a member of both organizations, hoping to be involved in more events and mentoring. I encountered many struggles throughout my aviation journey, including losing my beloved dad a few days after completing my flight training. This devastated me and I almost gave up. I believe these events and experiences solidified my drive to continue in aviation. After obtaining my PPL, I’ve been wanting to get a rotorcraft add-on (I experienced a tourist helicopter ride and fell in love). I believe I am a strong candidate of this scholarship because of the sacrifices I’ve made to get to where I am. I work full-time, take care of my mom, and fly part-time. My commute to flight school will be long, however, the effort I put into studying and preparing for my flight sessions are meticulous and meaningful. If I win this scholarship, it will bring me closer to obtaining my Instrument rating and/or Commercial Pilot License/rotorcraft add-on, to be included in the 7% of pilots who are female! Thank you so much for your consideration and for allowing me to share my aspirations with you. Sincerely, Treina Tai McAlister

I’ve always been fascinated by flying, and prior to flight training, I’d watch planes take off and land at KIAH. In 2022, I took a seaplane flight and I enjoyed every moment. I craved the experience when I returned home and I couldn’t stop talking about it to my sister. I also began to read about Bessie Coleman and the hurdles she overcame. One quote from Bessie that stood out to me —that propelled me forward was: “I made up my mind to try. I tried and was successful”. I wondered, what if I tried? What could happen if I succeeded? I’ve carried this with me and now I believe that I CAN do it. I believe I can contribute safety and excellence to the field of avaition. I currently attend American Flyers. We are taught to follow emergency and normal checklists for all planes that we train in and refer to the “IMSAFE” acronym. I am a fan of reading the FAA’s Risk Management Handbook. This document provides scenarios that demonstrate safe/unsafe behaviors, and what to do in each instance. A significant challenge that I faced was discovering that my father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and due to performed medical procedures, his dementia advanced. After 32 hours of flight training, I became a caregiver to my dad and wrestled with the hospital’s diagnosis of him only having 2 weeks to live. It became too much and I stopped training for 3 months to focus on him. Fortunately, dad was on hospice (at home with us) and slowly became stable and better. We had him with us 8 months after the diagnosis and were able to care for him when he couldn’t eat, drink, and walk on his own. Recently, he passed away with us by his side. I am still navigating his loss, while in training. Because of this, it has taken me longer to complete my training (77 hrs) and has taken much more money than I allocated for this license. But, I currently have finished all my flight requirements and was approved to have my Check Ride scheduled. I am thankful that I was able to take care of my beloved dad and that I’m strong enough to keep going. My determination, and willingness to focus and give everything to my goals are qualities and skills that I believe will contribute to my success in aviation. My ability to pivot, adapt, and understand the importance of rules and regulations will keep me and my passengers safe. After obtaining my PPL, I plan to visit my high school and speak to the student body about aviation, in particular about the differences between part 141 and part 61 and the benefits and cons to each choice. I want to inspire and encourage students in my community to believe that they can be an aviator and/or aviatrix regardless of their social class, color, creed or sex or gender. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship.

(1): I’ve always been fascinated by flying, and prior to flight training, I’d watch planes take off and land at KIAH. However, a profound moment was when I had a chance to take a flight on a seaplane…and I absolutely enjoyed every moment. I craved the experience when I returned home and I couldn’t stop talking about it to my sister. I also began to do some research on Bessie Coleman and learned about her story and the hurdles she had to overcome. Then I decided “why not me?” One quote from Bessie that stood out to me—that propelled me forward was: “I made up my mind to try. I tried and was successful”. From this, I questioned, what would happen if I could just “try”? What could happen if I actually succeeded? I’ve carried this with me and now I believe that I CAN do it. I also would love to fly passengers to their destination, SAFELY. I intend to conduct every flight with safety as the focus. Safety first, safety last and in between.    (2.): The school I attend (American Flyers) is huge on safety. I plan to understand and commit to memory the emergency checklists for the planes I train in and also consistently use the Normal Operations Checklist. It is important to refer to the “IMSAFE” acronym to ensure that I am safe to fly. As with any flight, there are fundamental tasks that must be completed to be safe— these include: weight and balance, weather briefings, knowing airspace and appropriate altitude, fuel quantity/management (switching tanks to stay balanced), and knowing information about the airports I plan to fly to (services, airport elevation, and runway lengths, etc.). There are other things that I could list, but I want to mention that I am a fan of referring to and reading the FAA’s Risk Management Handbook. This document provides scenarios that demonstrate safe and unsafe behaviors, and what to do in each instance. (3.): A significant challenge that I faced was discovering that my father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and because of having medical procedures done, his dementia drastically advanced. After 32 hours of flight training, I had to become a caregiver to my dad and having to wrestle with the hospital’s diagnosis of dad only having 2 weeks to live, while trying to focus on aviation. It became too much and I had to stop training for 3 months to focus on dad. Fortunately, dad was on hospice (at home with us) and slowly became stable and better. We currently still have him with us, 8 months after the diagnosis. His dementia is gotten worse and now we have to feed, clean, and help him with daily tasks (24/7) but he’s still able to speak and drink on his own. He is currently bed-bound, but I have hope that we will get him active again. I am still navigating this tragic experience, while in training. Because of this, it has taken me longer to complete my training (77 hrs) and has taken much more money than I allocated for this license. But, I currently have finished all my flight requirements and have been approved to have my Check Ride scheduled. I am thankful that I’m able to take care of my beloved dad and that I’m strong enough to keep going. It is difficult, but I must continue pushing forward. (4.): My determination, willingness to focus and give everything to my goals are qualities and skills that I believe will contribute to my success in aviation. My ability to pivot, adapt, and understand the importance of rules and regulations will keep me and my passengers safe; and the thirst to learn and read will keep me current about policies and regulations. (5.) : After obtaining my PPL, I plan to visit my high school and speak to the student body about aviation, in particular giving them options and explaining the differences between part 141 and part 61 and the benefits and cons to each choice. I want to inspire and encourage students in my community to believe that they can be an aviator and/or aviatrix regardless of their social class, color, creed, sex or gender. (6.): I believe I am a strong candidate because the sacrifices I’ve made to get to where I am. I work full-time, caregive full time, and fly part-time. My commute is 80 miles (roundtrip) and the effort I put into studying and preparing for my flight sessions are lengthy and meaningful. Because I am a part-time student, my school would not accept my Sallie Mae loan so I’ve had to come out of pocket for my flight training and it has been a struggle, while trying to juggle everything else. But I believe I will prevail and get it done. Thank you for allowing me to share my journey with you, even if I’m not selected for this award.

When I was young, I wanted to be a pilot but thought there were no opportunities for me. For so long, being a pilot was this “untouchable thing” that was only meant for certain people— so I assumed. So, I pursued what I was skilled in—Graphic Design/Illustration. Even after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in design, I still felt incomplete. I thought I’d give back to my community by becoming staff at the University of Houston; this way I could help other students striving to achieve their dreams. I’ve done this for over 20 years and created many positive, impactful programs for my students, but I felt incomplete—I was still fascinated with flying! I decided to get a motorcycle license, to replace the idea of becoming a pilot. This has taught me many skills regarding situational awareness, operating with smooth, precise and controlled movements. I have over 14,000 miles of seat time, completed 2 Track Days, and was a flag marshal for Valentino Rossi’s last race at COTA in 2021! After checking these goals off “My List”, something was still missing! Every week, I’d go to IAH to watch airliners take-off and land, relaxing to the sound of engines roaring as they pass. I’d look up and say “that’s so cool! I wish I could do that”. For me, regardless of all the things I’ve set out to do and accomplished, being a pilot was still unobtainable for a “person like me”. However, this year something changed—I met a pilot. We began discussing aviation. I was so impressed by his determination and immediately knew that I wanted to share my love and dreams of aviation with him. I told him I wanted to be a pilot but that I was too old—that time passed me by. He stopped me—encouraged me to pursue it, and not to give up on the idea, but to make it a reality. I spoke to my sister about being a pilot and she excitedly said “DO IT!”. She began pouring her support and excitement into me, explaining that I would be perfect for the career. Why didn’t I ever express my dreams about this to her? I thought I was alone in my aspiration to fly, because I isolated myself from my own abilities. I always had support from her that I never tapped into because I told myself that I couldn’t do it! Suddenly, a blaze was lit under me! I CAN DO THIS! I read about Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American female to obtain her International Pilot license. Her barriers and courage kindled a fire in me. I also want to mentor young girls who have the same aspirations I do. I’m currently in private pilot training at a local aviation trade school (American Flyers). If I win this scholarship, it will bring me closer to obtaining my Airline Pilot License and to be included in the 7% of pilots who are female. Thank you!

1. Which trade are you going to pursue after graduation: The trade I’m currently pursuing is a private pilot license in Aviation! It is the first of many that I plan to obtain to eventually fly in the airlines. 2. Why are you interested in this particular trade? I’ve always wanted to be an airline pilot, whether it’s helping someone travel or making sure their package is delivered! I find aviation fascinating. The view from the sky is so different from on the ground. It’s peaceful but very active! The fact that we can’t see all of the activity in the air is partly what makes aviation special. Many things are occurring in the different streams of air and pressures. The aerial view continues to remind me that I’m doing something special. It’s very abnormal in a positive way. 3.Examples of projects: I also ride a motorcycle (ninja 400) and I work on it a lot! One of my favorite projects was to create more space in the “trunk”, the area under the rear seat! I literally cut the plastic separators in order to make room for a larger space. The plastic pieces were sharp so I added carpet over it. Now I keep my set of tools and other items in there. It was interesting and fun! My second project is that I needed to change my rear sprocket because it was cracked! In order to do this, I had to remove the rear tire and that was a hassle. The entire process was very frustrating and was a difficult project for me. The 3rd project I wanted to mention is an art technique called “stippling”. I have currently stippled 3 portraits that include: Nina Simone (singer/activist), Lewis Hamilton (formula 1 driver), and Dark Schneider ( anime character) 4. What is your plan and how far along are you in your plan? I’m currently enrolled in American Flyers aviation school, and I have 13.4 hours of flight! My plan is to either fly for Southwest airlines, UPS or Fedex. I’m in the beginning of my training. I just finished Basic Attitude Flying, and have started more advanced manuevers such as: slow flight, steep turns, and power-off stalls. I will eventually need to complete the following licenses/ratings: instrument rating, Commercial Pilot license, multi engine rating, turbo rating, and airline transport license. I’m also considering a Certified Flight Instructor license so that I can give back and help make someone else’s dream come to fruition! I also recently made a connection with an airline captain of a recent flight I took. He mentored me for about an hour and invited me into the cockpit of the 737 plane he was flying that day! It was an amazing experience. 5. Yes! There are quite a few adults that you could contact and they would recommend me for this scholarship. Family members, friends, but also colleagues (an associate provost of a university) and some of my previous and current flight instructors! Thank you for considering me for Joseph’s scholarship!

When I was young, I wanted to be a pilot but thought there were no opportunities for me. For so long, being a pilot was this “untouchable thing” that was only meant for certain people, with certain backgrounds— so I assumed. So, I pursued what I was skilled in—Graphic Design/Illustration. Even after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in design, I still felt incomplete. I thought I’d give back to my community by becoming staff at the University of Houston; this way I could help other students striving to achieve their dreams. I’ve done this for over 20 years and created many positive, impactful programs for my students, but I felt incomplete—I was still fascinated with flying! I decided to get a motorcycle license, to replace the idea of becoming a pilot. This has taught me many skills regarding situational awareness, operating with smooth, precise and controlled movements. I have over 14,000 miles of seat time, completed 2 Track Days, and was a flag marshal for Valentino Rossi’s last race at COTA in 2021! After checking these goals off “My List”, something was still missing! Every week, I’d go to IAH to watch airliners take-off and land, relaxing to the sound of engines roaring as they pass. I’d look up and say “that’s so cool! I wish I could do that”. For me, regardless of all the things I’ve set out to do and accomplished, being a pilot was still unobtainable for a “person like me”. However, this year something changed—I met a pilot. We began discussing aviation, particularly, his goal to fly a fighter jet. I was so impressed by his determination and immediately knew that I wanted to share my love and dreams of aviation with him. I told him I wanted to be a pilot but that I was too old—that time passed me by. I began making excuses (once again) that I couldn’t do it. He stopped me—encouraged me to pursue it, and not to give up on the idea, but to make it a reality. I spoke to my sister about being a pilot and she excitedly said “DO IT!”. She began pouring her support and excitement into me, explaining that I would be perfect for the career. Why didn’t I ever express my dreams about this to her? I thought I was alone in my aspiration to fly, because I isolated myself from my own abilities. I always had support from her that I never tapped into because I told myself that I couldn’t do it! Suddenly, a blaze was lit under me! I CAN DO THIS! I read about Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American female to obtain her International Pilot license. Her barriers and courage all kindled that fire in me. I researched Sisters of the Skies, and want to be a part of their organization, thereby mentoring young girls who have the same aspirations I do and give them what they need. I’ve accomplished many things, but with flying, I’ve been at a standstill. It has been a lonely road, but I believe these barriers (even the ones I’ve created for myself) have strengthened me. It has taken many years to obtain this level of confidence, in order to be the type of pilot I’d like to become! If I win this scholarship, it will bring me closer to obtaining my Airline Pilot License and to be included in the 7% of pilots who are female! Thank you so much for your consideration and for allowing me to share my aspirations with you.