Simarjit Singh, Vaughn College’s student, is one of the recipients of the scholarship. Photo courtesy
The Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) and UPS announced eight deserving aviation scholars as recipients of the 2022 RACCA Scholarship and RACCA UPS Scholarship awards to foster their continuing education in pursing aviation careers.
RACCA scholarship winners, awarded $2,500 each, include Demarcus Griffin, Stephanie McClendon, C. Sahara Billman and Simarjit Singh ’26. The RACCA UPS FlightPath Scholarship, also $2,500 and designed for aspiring pilots, maintenance and flight operations professionals, was awarded to Amos Igwe, Cameron McCoy, Jackson Heagy and Evan Wetsch
“Scholarships are of paramount importance to building the aviation workforce, so it is incumbent on industry to reach back and give those just starting out a helping hand,” said RACCA President Stan Bernstein. “Our scholarship winners are doing that already as they mentor youth and promote aviation careers even as they continue to train. By helping them, we help the entire industry.”
Simarjit Singh began his flight training this year and has already earned his private pilot certification, among the first in his class at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology to achieve this goal. Hailing from Queens, NY, he will shortly earn his instrument rating, the next milestone in the journey that began in childhood when he decided he would be a pilot. Known for his leadership skills, Singh recently passed the instrument oral check ride and waiting for the instrument flight check ride. He works line operations at Heritage Flight Academy and takes a keen interest in the workings of engines to better handle the aircraft should problems arise. An avid aviation documentary watcher, Singh uses them to learn crucial skills like crew resource management as well as to gather information on how airline airplanes work.
VAUGHN COLLEGE: Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit four-year college that enrolls more than 1,500 students in master’s, bachelor’s and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 13 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Ninety-two percent of Vaughn College graduates, 76 percent in their field of study, are placed in professional positions or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. The institution serves many first-generation college students and is recognized by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. In a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project, and reported in The New York Times, Vaughn was ranked number one in upward mobility nationwide.
