Meet the 2026 Class of Boeing Scholars at Embry-Riddle

Category
Aviation

Author
Michaela Jarvis

Date
September 21, 2026

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University student Jeanette Lopez said she was thrilled to learn she had been named a Boeing Scholar. But when she researched what came with the distinction, she got even more excited.

“The more I learned, the more grateful and excited I became,” said Lopez, an Aeronautical Science student from Tampa, Florida. “The scholarship not only helps make my education more financially accessible, it also gives me the chance to connect with Boeing and other scholars, learn from professionals in the aviation industry and grow professionally.”

Lopez is one of 10 high-performing Embry-Riddle first-year students selected by The Boeing Company this year to receive scholarships of $7,500 a year for two years. The grants are supported by a $3 million endowment from Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company and leading aircraft manufacturer.

The 2026 Boeing Scholars at the university’s Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses are pursuing degrees in a broad range of aviation and aerospace programs, including Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Science and Aviation Business Administration.

The scholarships finance part of each awardee’s room and board and are intended to broaden the aviation workforce pipeline. Outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated financial need determine which students are chosen.

This is the eighth year that the Boeing scholarships have been awarded at Embry‑Riddle. Since 2019, 103 scholarships have been awarded.

“The Boeing Company has had a profound and lasting impact on Embry-Riddle, from its longstanding scholarship support fostering the next generation of talent, to its powerful contributions to aviation and aerospace safety,” said Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. “This support means that Embry-Riddle graduates are prepared for rewarding careers and abundant opportunities at a global company that is transforming aerospace and defense as we know it and leading the world into the next era in flight.”

In addition to receiving financial assistance, the Boeing Scholars are provided with networking and mentorship opportunities, including trips to Boeing facilities, group projects, speaker presentations and meet-and-greets with Boeing employees.

“At Boeing, we believe investing in the next generation of innovators and leaders is essential to advancing aerospace and aviation,” said Linwood Ham, director of Boeing Global Engagement — Eastern Region. “Our Boeing Scholars program at Embry-Riddle does more than offset their education costs; it creates meaningful connections between students and industry professionals. By providing mentorship, networking and hands-on experiences, we are empowering these talented students to reach their full potential and help shape the future of aerospace.”

Boeing Scholars who have graduated from Embry‑Riddle have often gone directly into jobs at top aviation and aerospace companies and organizations, including Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, the Federal Aviation Administration and the United Aviate and Delta Propel pilot development programs. Since 2015, Boeing has hired 767 Embry-Riddle graduates, and there are currently more than 3,000 Embry-Riddle alumni employed at Boeing.

Boeing offers a number of other valuable programs for students. The company hosted nearly 1,900 interns in 2026, of which 43 came from Embry‑Riddle. The company also makes ongoing donations to campus programs and student organizations, as well as providing aviation equipment. Since 2013, the company has supported about 400 scholarships beyond the Boeing Scholars program.

The Boeing Career Mentoring Program — offered to students at both residential campuses — is a highly selective initiative that matches up to 40 students per year with Embry‑Riddle alumni who work at Boeing. The program includes career preparation advice, as well as regularly scheduled professional development workshops.

Students on both Embry‑Riddle residential campuses can become Boeing Student Ambassadors, who work closely with Career Services to help prepare students interested in working for Boeing and inform them of available opportunities ahead of fall recruiting.

The strong partnership between Boeing and Embry‑Riddle extends even beyond those student programs. Boeing participates in Embry‑Riddle research activities, the company is represented on college industry advisory boards on campus and the university takes part in the annual Boeing Summit. Boeing has also donated funds to Career Services at both residential campuses to help produce Boeing Week and Boeing Development Days, special speaking engagements and events that promote communication and leadership skill development for students from a wide range of backgrounds.

In 2024, the Boeing Center for Aviation & Aerospace Safety was opened at Embry‑Riddle — a research facility that also engages students in efforts to drive safety advancements. And last year, the Boeing Engineering Center opened in the Cici & Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology at Embry‑Riddle’s Research Park. The center supports engineering research and development for Boeing Defense, Space & Security programs, as well as advanced technology efforts.

Boeing Scholar Greyson Pennington, a Mechanical Engineering student from Richmond, Indiana, said he looked forward to connecting with industry professionals “to work closely with them and see what they do” in ways that are relevant to his career aspirations.

“I was overjoyed when I found out that I had received this amazing scholarship as I knew that it would help me tremendously in becoming a propulsion engineer by connecting me with people who can help guide me to that goal,” Pennington said.