In its continuing effort to create more opportunities for future and current female students, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is calling on more than 11,000 women graduates to give back. The Women’s Ambassador Program (WAP), operated by the Student Alumni Association, is working with the university’s Prescott and Daytona Beach campuses to create a team of “big sisters” for female students at Embry-Riddle. They will also represent the university at events, air shows and conferences throughout the country.
“We are asking our alumnae to serve as guest speakers and mentors, and to provide feedback and ideas for engaging women students,” said Michele Berg, executive director of Alumni Relations. “We want them to be a part of growing Embry-Riddle’s female enrollment.”
The WAP is part of the university’s fall launch of Embry-Riddle Women’s Initiative, spearheaded by Christina Frederick-Recascino, senior executive vice president for academics and research, and supported by Maurie Johnson, wife of university President and CEO John Johnson.
Since 2007, the Johnsons have worked to designate additional scholarship funds for women students and encourage a female-friendly culture on campus. In 2010-11, they established the John and Maurie Johnson Endowed Scholarship for young women, with assistance from several donors.
“I realized that young women at Embry-Riddle didn’t have an effective support group,” Maurie Johnson said. “We hope to continue to grow this fund, so that more women can access this financial assistance,”
Their efforts appear to have paid off. Embry-Riddle’s female enrollment is now around 17% at both the Prescott and Daytona Beach campuses, compared to 14% in 2007. The goal is to increase the percentage of female students at Embry-Riddle’s residential campuses to 25% by fall 2017.
For more information: ERAU.edu
