Tuskegee University is Ready to Enroll Students in New Aviation Degree Program (Tuskegee University)

Tuskegee, Alabama — After working to secure funding, partnerships and accreditation, Tuskegee University is proud to announce that students who are interested in continuing the tradition of the Tuskegee Airmen will be able to enroll in the new Aviation Science degree program in January.

“When the nation needed aviators to face down Hitler over European skies in World War II, it was Tuskegee on the grounds of Moton Field where the myth that people of color could not fly was shattered,” said Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO of Tuskegee University. “The Tuskegee Airmen were born, and the world benefited over the skies of Europe.”

Tuskegee University has been working for the last two or more years to create a formal degree program that will allow students to become certified pilots, in the tradition of the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Tuskegee will now offer a bachelor's degree in aviation science with the flight option, which was recently accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

“Tuskegee University is proud of its heritage of training pilots who serve our country,” said Dr. Brown. “As North America faces a pilot shortage of about 130,000 in the next 20 years, our new degree program will prepare aviators to serve their country through the defense or commercial aviation industry, which is in need of rebuilding pilot programs to meet the demand.”

This initiative has received the support of Alabama Senator Katie Britt who supported a federal allocation of $6.7 million earlier this year, a recent recommendation for additional funding for FY2025, a formal partnership with Leadership in Flight Training (LIFT) Academy/Republic Airways, and the use of Moton Airfield in collaboration with the City of Tuskegee and Macon County.

“With our recent SACSCOC accreditation approval of the Aviation Science degree with flight training, we will once again – as the Tuskegee Airmen did for World War II – help the nation solve its challenge,” said Dr. Brown. “Tuskegee has answered the nation’s call with talent, ingenuity and brilliance since its founding. The university provides all military services on campus, preparing a standard of excellence that serves this nation, domestically and abroad.”

About Tuskegee University

Located in Tuskegee, Alabama, Tuskegee University is a private, state-related and nationally ranked land-grant institution that serves a racially, ethnically and religiously diverse student body of 3,000-plus students. The institution was founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington and is one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges since 1933, Tuskegee’s academic programs — many accredited by their respective accrediting bodies — currently lead to 41 bachelor’s, 16 master’s and five doctoral degree opportunities. For more information about Tuskegee University, visit www.tuskegee.edu.

About LIFT AcademyLeadership In Flight Training (LIFT) Academy is a U.S.-based commercial aviation pilot training school owned by Republic Airways Holdings Inc. Headquartered in Indianapolis, LIFT provides commercial aviation training by utilizing a curriculum that combines flight, flight simulator, and online and in-classroom training. LIFT Academy students train on a fleet of aircraft produced by Diamond Aircraft Industries, including the DA40 single-engine, DA42 twin-engine, and DA20 single-engine aircraft. Complementing this, LIFT has deployed Aviation Advanced Training Devices (AATDs) from Diamond Simulation and Frasca International. LIFT further enhances its training environment with immersive training devices (ITDs) crafted by Vertex Solutions, integrating the power of virtual reality into its curriculum. LIFT offers its graduates a defined pathway to a career as a commercial pilot at Republic Airways. LIFT Academy has locations in Indianapolis, Indiana, Columbus, Indiana, Galveston, Texas, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Tuskegee, Alabama. To learn more about LIFT Academy powered by Republic Airways, visit www.flywithlift.com.

About Republic Airways

Founded in 1974, Republic Airways is one of the largest regional airlines in the U.S., operating a fleet of more than 200 Embraer 170/175 aircraft. The airline provides scheduled passenger service with 900 daily flights to 80+ cities in the U.S. and Canada. Republic Airways employs over 6,000 aviation professionals and is committed to providing a top-tier experience for both employees and customers. Learn more at www.rjet.com.

Contact: Thonnia Lee, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

New Data Show Nearly a Million University of Phoenix Debtors Owe $21.6 Billion Dollars

The Higher Education Inquirer has just received a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) response from the US Department of Education, stating that about 971,000 current student loan debtors who have attended the University of Phoenix have accumulated an estimated $21.6B in debt. The FOIA is Department of Education FOIA 23-02912-F. These debt numbers are consistent with a previous HEI analysis. 

We have been unable to learn whether this accumulated debt includes the hundreds of millions in debt that has already been forgiven--and that its present and future owners may be liable for. In 2023, we reported that approximately 73,000 debtors from the University of Phoenix had filed borrower defense fraud claims, and that more than 19,000 cases were granted immediate relief in the Sweet v Cardona settlement.

Through another FOIA request, we also discovered 6,265 consumer complaints in the Federal Trade Commission database made after its current owners took over. In 2019, the FTC and the University of Phoenix settled a claim for $191M for deceptive employment claims. It would appear that Phoenix has not done enough to clean up its act.  

The Higher Education Inquirer has been working for more than six years to get data about the school's noncompliance with the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) program, where servicemembers have been systematically preyed upon--and where Trump officials and their surrogates worked to cover up malfeasance by subprime schools--including the University of Phoenix. We hope to report on this topic later.  

The University of Phoenix is presently owned by Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group, who have been unsuccessfully trying to sell the school for at least three years. Previous potential suitors, held to secrecy, have included Tuskegee University, UMass Global, and the University of Arkansas System. 

Apollo Global Management is currently negotiating with the State of Idaho, which would incur $685M in debt to acquire the school. State officials are wary of the deal, and those with strong principles are unlikely to approve. But it's possible that other politicians may change their minds: if they or their families are properly compensated, directly or indirectly, for taking the risks to their reputations and careers. 

Related links:

ED Completes Pre-Acquisition Review for University of Phoenix Deal. University of Idaho Continues Hiding Details of Transaction Fees, 43 Education "High-Risk" Bonds.

How University of Phoenix Failed. It's a Long Story. But It's Important for the Future of Higher Education.

Fraud Claims Against University of Phoenix Continue to Mount

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