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November 26, 2008

ULM aviation major wins coveted award from International Aviation Organization

The International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) recently awarded a ULM senior from Bastrop a coveted $10,000 scholarship.

Heath Johnson, a general aviation studies major at ULM and a pilot in flight training, has been a significant competitor and active member of the Warhawk Flight Team since coming to ULM in 2006.

The Warhawk Flight team is the aviation program’s flight competition organization in which Heath participates as a pilot, a ground member, and serves as an officer in both regional and national competition.

During the recent SAFECON flight competition held in Longview, Texas, Heath participated in both the flying events and ground events. He is also active in Alpha Eta Rho, the professional aviation fraternity.

A non-traditional student, Heath trained to be a diver in the U.S. Coast Guard following high school graduation. He received an honorable discharge from the Coast Guard in 2006 and decided to pursue his higher education at ULM.

Since his enrollment, Heath has earned a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.55. He is expected to graduate in May 2009.

ULM’s aviation faculty chose to submit Heath’s application based on several factors, including his achievements, GPA, and participation with the aviation program. Last year, ISTAT awarded only eight of these scholarships in the U.S., as well as eight to international students.

Heath is not the first notable ULM aviation major to receive the scholarship. Terrell Sharplin was one of eight students selected for an ISTAT scholarship last year. Terrell, who graduated ULM last fall, now works as a flight instructor and commercial pilot out of Monroe Regional Airport at Monroe Air Center.

ISTAT is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., and was founded to foster and promote interest in the principles and development of aeronautics, among other things

Part of ISTAT is the ISTAT Foundation, which fosters interest in, creates opportunities for and provides assistance through the global aviation community by offering scholarships, grants, internships and humanitarian aid worldwide.

Each qualified aviation institution, of which ULM is one, may submit one application each year for the scholarship.

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