ATCA

ATCA Scholarships

Scholarships & Application Links

 

The 2025 scholarship program is now complete. The next scholarship cycle will be open for application submissions in the spring of 2026.

Through the generous support of donations from ATCA's members, we award between $5,000 - $15,000 per student annually. Please help us support our future aviation professionals with a donation to the ATCA scholarship program.

ATCA is proud to have our scholarships listed in the annual University Aviation Association (UAA) Collegiate Aviation Catalog. Please review the catalog here to see other aviation scholarships that you might qualify for and apply to.

ATCA Scholarship Categories

Category A - Gabriel A. Hartl Scholarship

Students enrolled half- to full-time in a two- to four-year air traffic control program at an institution approved and/or licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration as directly supporting the FAA's college and training initiative.

Category B - Lawrence C. Fortier Memorial Scholarship

Students enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree or higher in an aviation-related course of study.

Category C - Full-Time Employee Student Scholarship

Full-time employees enrolled in advanced study programs to improve their skills in air traffic control or an aviation discipline.

Category D - Buckingham Memorial Scholarship

U.S. citizens, children of air traffic control specialists enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree or higher.

Category E - ATCA/Leidos Scholarship for Aviation Innovation

Students enrolled half to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing the future of aviation.

ATCA Scholarship Fund

The ATCA Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to outstanding aviation students and children of air traffic controllers. ATCA's wonderful candidates, exceptional winners, and generous scholarship partners and donors are the ones who make it happen. With the continued support of the aviation community for this industry-sustaining program, we hope to award at least as much in the future. But we need your support to do it.

  • “Receiving an ATCA scholarship helped me set my career in motion. It allowed me to come to the annual conference, network, and make lifelong connections as well as take part of the financial stress off of myself in college. I am now an air traffic controller at Potomac TRACON in Virginia and the President of the Capital Region Chapter of Women In Aviation, and happy to have those connections I made with ATCA years ago!”
    - Natelie Chappell (Scholarship Recipient)

     

  • "Thank you for providing the resources I needed to succeed. Your support played a key role in making my dreams a reality!"
    - Jen Lewis (Scholarship Recipient)

     

  • "I would never have been able to reach where I am today without this kind of support, and I am forever grateful."
    - Alvaro Delgado (Scholarship Recipient)

     

  • "I am incredibly grateful and honored to have received an ATCA scholarship. Thanks, ATCA for investing in my future!"
    - Lindsay Price (Scholarship Recipient)

     

2025 Scholarship Winners

Each year the ATCA Scholarship program awards financial support to outstanding college students pursuing a degree in a field related to ATM or other aviation discipline, or are children of specialists. Since its inception in 2000, ATCA has awarded over $1.3 million in scholarships to deserving students; $60,000 in this year alone.

We are pleased to introduce you to the ATCA Scholarship winners for 2025.

Gabriel A. Hartl Scholarship

Awarded to students enrolled half- to full-time in a two- to four-year ATC program at an institution approved and/or licensed by the FAA as directly supporting the FAA’s college and training initiative.

Wesley Himbrick
Hampton University
Hampton, VA 

Kyle Summers
Community College of Beaver County
Monaca, PA

Barbara Williams
Tulsa Community College
Tulsa, OK

Lawrence C. Fortier Memorial Scholarship

Awarded to students enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher in an aviation-related course of study.

Leonard Anderson
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, AL 

Braxton Brady
Rainier Flight Services
Auburn, WA

Lillian Burns
Fairmont State University
Fairmont, WV 

Brian McDonald
Hampton University
Hampton, VA

Buckingham Memorial Scholarship

Awarded to US citizen, children of ATC specialists enrolled in half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Owen Bryant
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX

Solwynn Meeks
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI

Full-time Employee Scholarship

Full-time employees enrolled in advanced study programs to improve their skills in air traffic control or an aviation discipline.

Zain Jamal
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

ATCA/Leidos Scholarship for Aviation Innovation

Students enrolled half to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor's degree who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing the future of aviation. 

Colin Horan
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ