The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) have reached an accord to help students in that school’s burgeoning aviation program. AOPA will fund an annual scholarship worth $7,500, and will provide membership to every student in the aviation program.

“Membership in AOPA provides benefits that can be especially helpful to students in college aviation programs,” said Karen Gebhart, AOPA’s executive vice president of communications. “With this agreement, MTSU students will have access to resources, products, and services that can aid them in both their scholastic and practical studies.”

“We work hard at Middle Tennessee State to make sure our aviation students are ready for the real world they’ll face when they graduate,” said Dr. Wayne Dornan, chairman of MTSU’s aviation department. “The scholarship will help ease the financial burden for some, and the AOPA membership is something that will help all of our students, during their careers here and in whatever kind of aviation career they pursue after graduation.”

As AOPA members, MTSU students will have access to aviation technical specialists who man AOPA’s Pilot Information Center at 800-USA-AOPA, answering questions on topics ranging from flight training to federal aviation regulations to ownership issues to international flying. MTSU students will also have access to AOPA Online, including the AOPA Internet Flight Planner program and the online version of the AOPA Airport Directory.

For more information: AOPA.org, MTSU.edu