Elizabeth City, N.C. — Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is making a new flight path for high school students across eastern North Carolina, beginning in the classroom and leading to the cockpit.
Through its Aviation Workforce Development initiative—funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—ECSU has awarded five high schools with resources valued at over $60,000 each to launch or expand aviation and/or drone programs. The schools selected through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process include:
- South Central High School (Pitt County)
- C.S. Brown High School STEM (Hertford County)
- Warren County High School (Warren County)
- Martin County High School (Martin County)
- Northeastern High School (Pasquotank County)
Through this award, ECSU will provide each school with desktop flight simulators, software, educational supplies, project kits, learning materials, computers, virtual reality hardware, pilot ground school prep kit, and teacher professional development to build sustainable, future-focused aviation programs.
“This initiative is about planting seeds of opportunity where they are needed most,” said Kuldeep Rawat, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Science, Aviation, Health, and Technology at ECSU and Project Director on the FAA grant. “We’re empowering students to see aviation not just as a concept in a textbook but as a career path they can pursue.”
Designed to support hands-on learning and expand access to high-demand aerospace careers, the initiative reflects ECSU’s role as North Carolina’s only four-year institution offering a degree in aviation science. The selected schools demonstrated strong leadership support, curriculum integration strategies, and long-term plans to sustain their programs.
Rawat emphasized that this effort goes beyond providing equipment. “It’s about building new pathways for student learning, pipelines to college, and expanding career opportunities in aviation and aerospace,” he said.
The RFP process, launched in April, invited high schools to share their vision for integrating aviation into STEM and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming. ECSU reviewed applications for innovation, feasibility, student engagement and a sustainability plan to maintain the program beyond the grant.
With this announcement, ECSU continues to elevate its mission: to prepare the next generation of pilots, engineers, drone operators and innovators—starting with today’s high school students.
“By supporting high schools with the tools, training and technology they need, we’re helping to close the opportunity gap and expand access to high-demand STEM careers across the state,” said Rawat.
Learn more about ECSU’s Aviation Workforce Development programs at www.ecsu.edu/academics/develop-aviation.php.