Aircell, a provider of in-flight connectivity for business aviation, has established an aviation scholarship program in conjunction with the AEA Educational Foundation. The $2,500 Aircell Scholarship will be available each year to high-school seniors and/or college students who plan to attend, or are already attending, an accredited school in an avionics or aircraft repair program. The intent of the scholarship is to identify and reward those individuals who best exemplify the qualities that lead to success in the aviation industry.

The first recipient–Heather Behrent of Oshkosh, Wis.–was announced at the AEA International Convention & Trade Show in Washington, D.C. last week. Behrent is currently in her second semester in the avionics program at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wis. Upon graduation in 2013, she plans to enter the workforce and simultaneously enroll in an Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) program to further her knowledge and continue expanding her capabilities in the aviation industry.

The AEA Educational Foundation was created in 1990 to enhance, promote and secure the future of aviation maintenance and the AEA. Since its inception, the AEA scholarship program has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships.