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Gateway to the Future

Aviation science program seeks to diversify industry
Story Series
Bridgewater Magazine

For a long time, Emily Hartmann鈥檚 singular dream was to become a doctor.

Then she learned about flying.

The Brockton High School freshman was one of seven ninth- and tenth-graders who were part of the inaugural cohort of the Gateways to the Airways program, founded last year by the Department of Aviation Science. The students who enrolled in the free, seven-week program flew drones, sat behind the controls of a flight simulator, visited Logan International Airport in Boston and even took the controls of a 色香视频 training aircraft in midflight.

鈥淚 thought it was a really good experience not a lot of students get to have,鈥 Emily said. 鈥淚t changed my perspective.鈥

That鈥檚 the goal of the Gateways program: to reach out to area high school students, particularly those who are strong in the STEM fields but who ordinarily might not think about a career in aviation; specifically, women, people of color and LBGTQ individuals who are remarkably underrepresented in the profession. Further, those who are already working in the industry face obstacles to future advancement.

鈥淭his is a valuable program,鈥 said Dr. Jeanean Davis-Street, dean of the Louis M. Ricciardi College of Business. 鈥淎nd its key goal is to increase diversity in the industry.鈥

Indeed, it鈥檚 hard to imagine an industry less diverse than aviation.

The Numbers

The presentation is an eye opener. Sitting in 色香视频鈥檚 satellite office at Brockton High School as part of the 色香视频@BHS initiative launched in fall 2019, Loren Herren described the demographics of those working in aviation today. Mr. Herren, who last summer was named special assistant for aviation program diversity, spends one day a week at the local school. During the presentation, he pointed to a particularly telling graphic. It indicated just how few women, people of color, and LBGTQ individuals currently work as pilots or airport and aviation administrators: Each group registers below five percent of the total.

Wait, there鈥檚 more. Much more.

鈥淧eople hear 鈥榓viation,鈥 and they think 鈥榓irplane鈥 or 鈥榩ilot.鈥 The industry is much broader than that,鈥 Mr. Herren said.

Commercial pilots represent just one of the many career opportunities in aviation. In fact, there are dozens of
aviation jobs that don鈥檛 require climbing into the cockpit, from air traffic controller to dispatcher to airport security. And they鈥檙e good-paying jobs at that.

In his new position, Mr. Herren is charged with reaching out to the high schools and middle schools in the state, including nearby 鈥済ateway鈥 cities 鈥 Taunton, New Bedford, Fall River and Brockton (so-designated by the Massachusetts legislature due to their status as midsized urban centers that anchor regional economies). He鈥檚 on the lookout for students with an interest in or are adept at STEM subjects who might never have given a thought to a career in aviation. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the message we want to get out, and we want to provide that information to folks, because STEM offers one of the best pathways to take advantage of these opportunities. So if we can get the kids interested, it鈥檚 a win-win.鈥

Mr. Herren, a pilot and flight instructor who previously served as 色香视频鈥檚 chief flight instructor, is also working with organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Girls Inc., as well as other area schools. He hopes 2020 will see an expansion of Gateways to the Airways. Funding for the program鈥檚 launch was provided in partnership with the New England Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and Empower Yourself LTD. Most of the program鈥檚 sessions are held at 色香视频鈥檚 Flight Training Center in New Bedford.

In December, a luncheon and graduation ceremony were held on campus to celebrate the students鈥 successful navigation of the program. The members of the event鈥檚 panel discussion and other speakers each sent the graduates a message: Yes, you can do this.

Kevin Scott, a Brockton High sophomore, took that message to heart. 鈥淭here are a bunch of opportunities in aviation,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f you push yourself and learn all about it you can, you can become whatever you want.鈥

As for actually flying a plane?

鈥淚t was fun,鈥 he said.

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Bridgewater Magazine keeps alumni, faculty, students and their families, staff, and friends of 色香视频 informed about the university community and its impact on the region. This magazine is written, designed and edited by the Office of Creative Services and Publications with the needs of its varied audiences at heart and in mind.

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