NBAA Announces 2001 Barden Scholarship Recipients and Promotes Corporate Aviation Career Seminar

Contact: Cassandra Bosco

Washington, DC, May 29, 2001 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) recently selected five deserving university students to be the recipients of the 2001 NBAA/UAA Janice K. Barden Aviation Scholarship, previously known as the NBAA/UAA Aviation Scholarship. This scholarship is offered annually by NBAA to students enrolled in aviation-related two-year, four-year, or post-graduate programs at NBAA- and University Aviation Association (UAA)-member institutions.

This year’s winners each will receive a $1,000 scholarship award. They are:

• Joseph S. Cozza, a junior at the University of North Dakota with a 3.9 GPA. Cozza, whose major is commercial aviation, is interested in a career as a business aviation pilot. He already has held various general aviation jobs in Colorado and North Dakota while achieving his private pilot license.
• William P. Groth, a Purdue University sophomore majoring in flight technology. Groth, who plans to use his scholarship funds to start a career as a corporate pilot, is actively involved in several school-wide programs, including crew, water skiing and gymnastics.
• Jennifer L. Hornik, a senior at Lewis University majoring in aviation administration with a 3.8 GPA. Her dream is a career in aviation, and this scholarship will help her earn a flight dispatcher license by the time she graduates in August 2001.
• Brad D. LaZerte, a dean’s list student pursuing his B.S. degree in aviation – professional flight at St Cloud State University. He hopes to become a corporate pilot.
• Christine E. Reed, a senior at Arizona State University with a 3.7 GPA who is studying aeronautical management technology. She is a founding member of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of Women in Aviation International and a co-chair of the local student chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives. Her scholarship funds will help her achieve the flying ratings needed to pursue a career in aviation.

Janice K. Barden, founder and president of New Orleans-based Aviation Personnel International, has been active in the aviation community for more than 30 years. She has served as Local Committee Chair for the NBAA Convention a total of seven times, more than any other person in Convention history and the only woman to serve as chair. The Local Committee chairman traditionally acts as a liaison between NBAA and the Convention’s host city in the year leading up to the Show. In addition to the Association’s 54th Annual Meeting & Convention this year, Barden also has chaired the 1975, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994 and 2000 Conventions, all located in New Orleans.

This scholarship was renamed for Barden because she has promoted business aviation as a career for young people and worked to increase young people’s participation in the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention. Beginning in 1994, she has organized the NBAA/UAA Corporate Aviation Career Seminar for College Students held during the Convention. In 2000, at the 53rd Annual Meeting & Convention, this event attracted more than 80 Attendees.

NBAA and UAA are planning to co-host another Corporate Aviation Career Seminar for College Students at the 54th Annual Meeting & Convention in New Orleans on Thursday, September 20, 2001, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This program will feature a panel of business aviation professionals who will speak on potential careers in business aviation and answer questions from university students.

The Association congratulates the 2001 NBAA/UAA Janice K. Barden Aviation Scholarship winners and wishes them luck as they pursue careers in business aviation. For more information about this and other business aviation scholarship opportunities, visit the NBAA Web site at www.nbaa.org/scholarships.

NBAA represents the aviation interests of over 6,500 companies which own or operate general aviation aircraft as an aid to the conduct of their business, or are involved with business aviation. NBAA Member Companies earn annual revenues approaching $5 trillion — a number that is about half the gross domestic product — and employ more than 19 million people worldwide. The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention is the world’s largest display of civil aviation products and services.