Women and Minorities in Collegiate Aviation: What Factors Lead to Enrollment and Persistence

Abstract

This project is focused on women and minorities in collegiate aviation. The purpose of this project is to determine the experiences that influence women and minorities to enroll in a collegiate aviation program and the factors that have helped them persist and succeed. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of women and minorities working in the aviation industry is relatively low compared to their participation rates in the total workforce of the United States. Increasing the number of women and minorities working in the aviation industry must begin with increasing their numbers in the nation’s flight schools and collegiate aviation programs. Participants will be interviewed about the experiences that influenced their decision to enroll in a collegiate aviation program and the factors that have helped them persist and succeed. The benefits of this project include information that will help increase the number of women and minorities working in the aviation industry by increasing their numbers in the nation’s flight schools and collegiate aviation programs.