Contact: Chelsea Yi, chelseay@mrgmi.com, 734-652-3329
BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, March 15, 2025 – The Women’s Aviation Career Symposium (WACS) celebrated their seventh year that included over 300 participants and record-breaking scholarships awarded to women pursuing careers in aviation. The annual professional career conference for women – from high school juniors through retirees – took place at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation in Battle Creek, Michigan on March 15th.
The WACS conference showcased over 90 representatives from different aviation companies, schools, and organizations from the Great Lakes region who connected with 200 attendees. WACS awarded $50,000 to 15 women for maintenance training, professional development, and flight training, and awarded a flight attendant scholarship sponsored by Flight Safety International. Since its inception in 2018, WACS has provided $162,000 in scholarships to 70 women.
Forty-seven companies sponsored this year's event, including Gulfstream Aerospace, Western Michigan University, Duncan Aviation, Amway, Dassault Falcon Jet, The Dow Chemical Company, GrandAir Aviation, Francine and Theo Hagg, Jackson National Life, MASCO, Pro Star Aviation, and more. Seven new sponsors and organizations participated in the event.
“It is incredible to see this event grow exponentially since we began,” said Mary Poirier, co-founder of WACS. “The impact of seeing so many professional women sharing their stories and encouraging the next generation in aerospace and aviation is so inspiring.”
The conference featured time for meeting and networking with local industry companies, organizations, schools, and professional women in aviation. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the everyday life of panelists in many different aviation careers. Sponsors and exhibitors discussed current industry topics, including how to reach the younger generation. The event featured hands-on maintenance workshops, aircraft simulator sessions in a Cirrus G7 Series single-engine aircraft and a Boeing 737, and a drone workshop. Professional development workshops provided valuable information to attendees on numerous topics including scholarship applications, internship opportunities, resume writing and review, and careers in air traffic control, pilot pathways, and maintenance. Attendees were also able to tour aircraft and the Western Michigan University College of Aviation.
WACS 2025 Scholarship Winners
The highlight of the event was keynote speaker NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, a Marine Corps Colonel and test pilot. Moghbeli commanded the SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station, where she and her crew joined Expedition 70 for a long-duration mission aboard the orbiting national laboratory. She lived in space for 199 days and conducted significant scientific research, her first spacewalk, and landed back on Earth March 12, 2024. Attendees were inspired to keep pursing their dreams no matter what obstacles came in their path.
“You belong and you add value. We are shaped by our experiences in life, and as a Middle Eastern female, I have experienced things differently in my life that have shaped me. I can look at problems and challenges and bring different perspectives and solutions. You belong and you are needed,” said Moghbeli.
The event was enhanced by viewing a rocket launch during the final meet and greet. Friday evening, sponsors and exhibitors watched the SpaceX Crew-10 launch on a mission to the International Space Station, paving the way for the delayed Crew-9 return to Earth, bringing home astronauts after a prolonged mission.
“It’s wonderful to see these young women excited for the opportunities in aviation and to see them grow in confidence and achieve their goals,” said Pam Catlin, co-organizer of WACS.
ABOUT WACS
WACS was founded in 2018, and its mission is to create a pipeline for the aviation and aerospace industries in Michigan and surrounding states by providing networking opportunities for both companies and those pursuing aviation. This is done by promoting local companies, organizations, resources, and schools in an effort to keep talent in the region. Through scholarships, recipients are able to further their training, and companies looking to hire have the ability to tap into a great pool of candidates. In 2024, WACS began a new partnership with the Michigan Business Aviation Association (MBAA) and their non-profit organization, the Michigan Business Aviation Foundation (MBAF). With the help of their team and network, WACS is able to expand outreach to more businesses, as well as new attendees, in our region. In 2019, the team was awarded the Michigan Aeronautics Commission (MAC) Award of Excellence.
Save the date: Next year WACS will be held on February 28, 2026. For more information, visit www.mibaa.org/wacs
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