Gulfstream Donates to Embry-Riddle Student Engineering Projects, Co-op Program
After hosting Embry-Riddle students, faculty and staff for a Feb. 19-20 weekend of tours and networking events at its Savannah, Ga. headquarters, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation presented university officials with a $25,000 donation to help fund student co-ops and engineering projects. “Offering hands-on educational opportunities in a real-world setting is a priority for Gulfstream, and we gain great talent as a result,” said Mark Bennett, senior manager of Community Investment and Public Affairs at Gulfstream. “Our support of Embry-Riddle helps us promote student success and build the business aviation industry's future workforce.”
The funds will support the ERAU Motorsports, SAE Formula Team project, the Senior Aircraft Design Capstone course and the Co-op Assistance Award program for aviation maintenance science and electrical engineering students.
“As an executive institution with Gulfstream Aerospace, we are privileged to work with their experts, leadership and engaged alumni on various student and faculty projects helping to solve industry needs and challenges,” said Lyndse Costabile, Embry-Riddle director of development. “Gulfstream’s charitable efforts with Embry-Riddle are strategic, and we appreciate their desire to address and measure return on philanthropic investment.”
Gulfstream also partners with Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus on a Multidisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering program, which is tailored to the company’s needs and enables Gulfstream employees to earn a master’s degree in engineering while working full time. Started in 2010, the program also allows Embry-Riddle professors, who teach on site in Savannah, an opportunity to gain industry experience and participate in corporate research.
“Gulfstream’s generosity will have an immediate positive impact on electrical engineering and maintenance students who want to do internships but can’t because of financial reasons,” said Career Services Executive Director Alicia Smyth of the Co-op Assistance Award program funding.
Nearly 60 students and administration from Embry-Riddle and its partner, Aircraft Society of Appraisers, toured the Gulfstream and FlightSafety facilities. The Embry-Riddle students represented the aviation maintenance science department and the colleges of Business, Engineering, and Aviation.
“This trip marked one of the largest Embry-Riddle contingents to visit a corporation, with six student professional organizations joining our faculty, advisors and staff,” Costabile said.
Also during the Feb. 19-20 visit, Embry-Riddle’s Office of Alumni Relations hosted two events—a Savannah Alumni Network event at Leopold’s Ice cream with more than 40 attendees and an Alumni and Student Networking Event at Moon River Brewery that attracted more than 80 guests.
“This was a great event with alumni and our undergraduate and graduate students mixing with industry representatives from Aircraft Society of Appraisers and Gulfstream,” said Bill Thompson, executive director of Alumni Relations.
For the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Campus students who went on the trip, the visit was a chance to meet alumni and industry executives and learn about new opportunities.
“It was interesting to see the start-to-finish process that takes place to assemble the G650 business jet,” said Joshua Kapsner. “As an aerospace engineering major, this was probably the highlight of my weekend.”
Sophomore Aeronautical Science student Kimberly Kissh said she learned about the different opportunities available for pilots and is now interested in the possibility of becoming a demo pilot.
International graduate student Christian Span enjoyed meeting fellow Embry-Riddle alumni.
“Seeing them succeed after they went through the same or similar program and education at Embry-Riddle motivates us to do the same,” he said.