Five outstanding Miami Dade College aviation students were presented with the prestigious Timothy E. Johnson Jr. Scholarship at an awards ceremony hosted by MDC Foundation. The scholarship will help students pay for the necessary flight training to become professional pilots.
MDC students Henry Golembeski from Kendall, Yassel Herrera Garcia from Miami, Jonathan Ibarra from Westchester, Shane Pineda from Kendall and Adam Superson from Miami, received the scholarship. They each received $8,000 in scholarship funding.
The Timothy E. Johnson Jr. Scholarship was established in 2013 to honor the life and legacy of Timothy Jr., a dedicated pilot and humanitarian who passed away in an aviation accident in 2012. His love for flying paved the way for essential support that lifts, empowers and provides opportunity for our next generation of aviation professionals.
“Thank you to the Johnson family for placing your trust in our future. We are honored to be the recipients of this scholarship, and your generosity is making our dreams of becoming professional pilots a reality,” said scholarship recipient Shane Pineda. “We hope to pass on your son’s love for flying, and one day, we hope to be able to give back to future aviators just as you have done for us.”
“The only thing I ask is I want you to pay it forward as you go forward. Think about what you have, pay it forward and don’t forget about the support you received along the way,” said Timothy E. Johnson Sr. to the scholarship recipients. “Higher education is a great way to give back to the community, and I’m so glad to help support these future aviators.”
To date, 31 students from MDC’s Eig-Watson School of Aviation have been awarded the Timothy E. Johnson Jr. Scholarship.
Learn more about how you can make a difference at www.mdcfoundation.com