U of M gets $500,000 in FedEx scholarships
The University of Memphis will receive $500,000 in scholarships from FedEx Express, a portion of the $2.5 million total the Memphis company is committing to six institutions for a recently launched commercial aviation training program.
The scholarship money the university is receiving from the FedEx Purple Runway Aviation Scholarship program will go toward its Commercial Aviation Degree program that launched in the fall to help train future aviation professionals, according to a news release Thursday.
FedEx Express announced the scholarship program last week, which aims to boost commercial aviation education and training efforts by providing dedicated scholarships. Other institutions participating in the program are: Delta State University, University of North Dakota, Indiana State University, Tennessee College of Applied Technology and Arkansas State University MidSouth. “E-commerce is driving increasing demands on both air and ground transportation networks at a time when large numbers of workers in these fields are retiring, or nearing retirement,” said David Cunningham, FedEx Express president and CEO, in a statement. “We are working with schools to strengthen the pipeline of talented and diverse pilots, mechanics and other aviation professionals. The FedEx Purple Runway Aviation Scholarship helps lay that foundation for an individual to have a promising and successful career in the industry that FedEx Express created.”
The University of Memphis, in a previous news release announcing its commercial aviation degree program, said more than 42 percent of active U.S. airline pilots at the biggest carriers will retire in the next decade.
FedEx Express’ scholarship program is an extension of “Purple Runway — A FedEx Pathways Program,” in which pilots are recruited to two FedEx Express feeder operators and developed for opportunities at the Memphis logistics giant.