News Release: First Flights, New Perspectives and Future Possibilities Highlight St. Louis University’s Aviation Summer Academy

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Jerry Vallely                                                                                                                                 

External Communications Manager                        

314-486-5553 (C)                                                         

 

[CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, IL/JULY 7, 2026] From taking the controls of an aircraft for the first time to exploring airport operations and meeting aviation professionals, eighteen high school students from the St. Louis region and beyond gained a firsthand look at the aviation industry during Saint Louis University's (SLU) Aviation Summer Academy. The immersive week-long program, held June 22-26, showcased St. Louis’s strong aviation ties through classroom instruction, flight experiences and industry exposure at locations throughout the region, including St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS).

(St. Louis Downtown Airport photo)

Several days of the summer academy took place at the Saint Louis University Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hangar at KCPS, which is home to the nation's oldest federally certified flight school. There, campers moved from classroom lessons to simulators and aircraft while learning flight planning, navigation and piloting skills. Students also toured nearby airport facilities and visited the airport fire station, gaining a broader understanding of the people and systems that keep airports operating safely and efficiently.

While behind-the-scenes experiences highlighted careers that support aviation, the opportunity to take to the skies became one of the week's most memorable moments. On their initial discovery flight, students took off from KCPS with certified flight instructors in Diamond DA20s, heading over the Mississippi River toward the Gateway Arch. For many campers, it was their first time in a two-seat training aircraft, offering a new perspective of the St. Louis region from several thousand feet above the ground.

The experience left a lasting impression on many participants, including Kieran Matthews, from Chicago. “It’s really cool, how you can just go up a couple thousand feet in the air and see a whole new perspective that you would usually not ever be able to see,” Matthews said.

For others, the discovery flight helped transform an interest in aviation into a tangible career goal.

“My favorite part from the discovery flight was flying around and realizing that I had the authority to just do it myself,” reflected Cade Prichard, from St. Louis. “It's very powerful, and I'm very grateful to have experiences like this. I feel like this is the first step into what could be an amazing career.”

(St. Louis Downtown Airport photo)

As the week progressed, campers put their classroom learning into practice by planning and completing cross-country flights. From reading sectional charts and mapping out a route to identifying waypoints – like large antenna towers and Six Flags – and calculating fuel usage, these longer flights to other Midwest airports offer a deeper understanding of what goes into piloting an aircraft beyond simply flying it. Together, the discovery flights, cross-country exercises, airport tours and classroom instruction helped students gain a broader understanding of the aviation industry and the many roles that support it.

“This camp has really opened my eyes to a lot of different opportunities in aviation,” said Liam Ament, from Fenton. “I still have more learning to do before I settle on one thing, but it's helped me see how many different career paths are out there.”

That broad exposure is exactly what program organizers hope students take away from the experience.

“Our Aviation Summer Academy gives students a unique opportunity to experience aviation firsthand,” said Stephen Belt, Chair of Saint Louis University Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science. “By combining some classroom learning with time in simulators, aircraft and airport environments, we're helping students discover how their interests and strengths can translate into careers in the aviation field while providing unique and memorable experiences.”

Sandra Shore, Director of St. Louis Downtown Airport, said programs like SLU’s Aviation Summer Academy demonstrate the value of partnerships between educational institutions and industry leaders to introduce students to the aviation field.

"For many campers, the flights they completed at St. Louis Downtown Airport this week will be among the first entries in what may become lifelong aviation logbooks," said Shore. "It's rewarding to see students gain hands-on experience in a real airport environment and discover new possibilities for their future. Initiatives like SLU’s Aviation Summer Academy also remind us that when airports, universities and industry leaders work together, we create opportunities that benefit students while strengthening the region's aviation industry."

By the end of the academy, students left with new skills, industry connections and a deeper understanding of the opportunities available throughout aviation. St. Louis Downtown Airport is owned and operated by Bi-State Development and is located just east of downtown St. Louis on more than 1,000 acres in Cahokia Heights and Sauget, Illinois.  

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About Bi-State Development

Bi-State Development (BSD) owns and operates St. Louis Downtown Airport and the Gateway Arch Riverboats, as well as operates the Gateway Arch Revenue Collections Center and Gateway Arch trams. BSD is the operator of Metro Transit, the main public transportation system in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois. The Metro Transit operation includes the 46-mile MetroLink light rail system serving 38 stations in the two-state area; a MetroBus vehicle fleet of approximately 237 clean-burning diesel buses and 24 battery-electric buses; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 123 vans. BSD also operates the St. Louis Regional Freightway, the region’s freight district.      

St. Louis University Hosts Annual Girls in Aviation Day

By Carmelo Turdo

St. Louis University's Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science hosted Girls in Aviation Day October 20 at their St. Louis Downtown Airport flight operations hangar. Over 100 high school students arrived for registration by 9:30 A.M. to begin a fun and informative day. The students interacted with exhibitors from a variety of aviation career fields, flew the university's Frasca flight simulators and explored the static displays parked outside on the apron. Girls in Aviation Day also featured a panel discussion led by St. Louis University students, and this year's keynote speaker was St. Louis University alumna and U.S. Air Force Major Alicia Canetta, a C-21A pilot based at Scott Air Force Base.

Girls in Aviation Day opened with a greeting from Aviation Operations Manager Michelle Scheipeter and Dr. Stephen Belt, Associate Professor of Aviation Science at St. Louis University. They represent the faculty, staff and students who make this event possible. St. Louis University's Parks Air College heritage goes back to its founding in 1927 as the first federally certified flight school in the country. Celebrations are already being planned for the centennial anniversary just a few short years away.

 

The Aero Experience coverage begins with a look at the career fair exhibitors in the Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science flight operations hangar. Local aviation and aerospace industry experts informed the students about the many career opportunities that await them in St. Louis and around the country. St. Louis University was joined by the U.S. Air Force, Wings of Hope, Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, Southwestern Illinois College, Garmin, Ideal Aviation, GoJet Airlines, FAA Air Traffic Control, Republic Airways, Gulfstream Aerospace and West Star Aviation among others.

St. Louis University provided three training fleet aircraft for static display: the primary and instrument trainer Diamond DA-20, a new-generation Piper Archer used for commercial and cross-country training and a Piper Seminole multi-engine trainer. The students climbed aboard the aircraft and received a brief overview from the flight instructors.   

AeroCareers was also represented with an outdoor aircraft display - the Lancair Columbia, The New Spirit of St. Louis.  This aircraft was used by Erik Lindbergh in 2002 to recreate the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris flown by his famous grandfather, Charles Lindbergh, in 1927. AeroCareers also provided a full-scale reproduction of the original Spirit of St. Louis cockpit produced by Parks College for the Flight City Exhibition held at the Missouri Historical Society in 2007. AeroCareers is a nonprofit organization that mentors those seeking aviation and aerospace careers. Special thanks to Bob McDaniel, Nick Turk and Craig O'Mara for supporting Girls in Aviation Day. 

The St. Louis Downtown Airport Fire Department was also represented at Girls in Aviation Day. The students received a tour of the Panther Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle, and Firefighter Gina Wallace demonstrated the protective clothing. She has been on staff at the airport since 2021 after serving at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and completing the ARFF course at Southwestern Illinois College. 

The university's Frasca flight simulators were also available for student "flights." Technically referred to as Frasca Tru-Flite Advanced Aircraft Training Devices, they are an essential part of the flight training curriculum providing a unique teaching environment for the instrument rating and commercial pilot certificate. They are especially valuable when weather conditions preclude regular training flights. 

A panel of three St. Louis University students - (L-R below) Mary Hoffmann, Sydney Nimerick and Lili Kramer - answered questions pertaining to their experience in the Aviation Science program. The panel was moderated by Jocelyn Ciotti (R below), a St. Louis University student who is also a Republic Airways Ambassador exploring a career in the commercial airline industry. Here we include their responses to three key questions posed during the session.

Mary Hoffmann (Left above), Junior in Aeronautics/Flight Science from Akron, OH

Q: How did you get into aviation?

A: I always grew up with aviation. My dad went to flight school through the Navy and is now a captain at Delta. And my brother graduated college and ended up doing the same thing, joining the navy and going through flight school, and now I have another brother doing it as well. So it has always been in my family.

Q: What are your future career goals in aviation?

A: With the industry constantly changing, I feel like I would be open to going anywhere that will pay me to fly and have a family. I've had travel benefits for my entire life, so I would love to have what I had growing up with my family. So, ideally, the airlines. 

Q: Do you have any advice for the young women in the audience?

A: When I was growing up, it [aviation] was always around me, but it wasn't really something that girls did. I never really thought about it for myself as an option. But my advice would be to not let that imposter syndrome - like I don't know, girls don't really do that - don't let that stop you from doing anything, ever. 

Sydney Nimerick (Center above), Senior in Aeronautics/Flight Science from Austin, TX

Q: How did you get into aviation?

A: My grandparents were engineers on airplanes growing up so I spent a lot of time around airplanes. My family would always take us to airshows, and then, while I lived in Singapore, I got to travel a lot and I thought it would be really cool if an airplane could be my office and I didn't have to work at a desk... I went to a Girls in Aviation Day, and it was at the local flight school. And after that, I realized that I could do a discovery flight and actually start flight training when I was sixteen...I applied to aviation colleges, and I chose to come to SLU for a number of reasons and it's going well! 

Q: What are your future career goals in aviation?

A: My end goal is to fly big, fast planes. Any kind of jet, anything that flies pretty fast and flies pretty far. I'm pretty open to anything. For a long time, I wanted to be an airline pilot, and I still think being an airline pilot would be a great career. I've also learned a lot about corporate aviation recently, and I think being a corporate pilot would also be very fun flying private jets. But I'm really open to any opportunity that comes my way. Just get to fly airplanes for work! 

Q: Do you have any advice for the young women in the audience?

A: Be open-minded and try everything. Take every opportunity that you can and run with it and try to learn from it and see what you can do. If you get the opportunity to visit a company that has airplanes and you get to take a tour or meet certain people, keep your network growing as much as possible. Talk to everybody and just learn as much as you can. And at some point, you'll find an opportunity and go with that. Just keep an open mind and you'll be successful. 

Lili Kramer (Right above), Junior in Aeronautics/Aviation Management from Oahu, HI 

Q: How did you get into aviation?

A: I grew up with people working in the industry, whether that be an uncle or an auntie who were a flight attendant or a pilot, and I had no interest in it until I was in high school. I didn't know what I wanted to do in my life, and I needed to make a decision. My uncle, who was a pilot at Hawaiian Airlines, offered to take me to a discovery flight and I just fell in love with everything aviation.

Q: What are your future career goals in aviation?

A: I know whatever I do I want to make sure that I can make an impact, I can make a greater, helpful impact. I would love to fly planes, that's kind of the goal. But as of right now, the goal is to also figure out how I can turn my degree into helping others as well and getting other people involved in the wonderful industry of aviation. 

Q: Do you have any advice for the young women in the audience?

A: Be passionate about what you want. Whatever it is you decide to do, and I hope you decide to go into aviation, but love what you do. Because when you have those really hard days, you have a thing to reflect back on and you know why. You love what you do and you're doing it for this greater goal.

All three panelists also answered specific questions from the students.

The keynote speaker for Girls in Aviation Day was St. Louis University alumna Major Alicia Canetta, a U.S. Air Force C-21A (Learjet 35A) pilot based at Scott AFB, IL. Scott AFB has a fleet of 14 C-21As used to transport critical staff and essential cargo on missions for the Air Mobility Command. 

 

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

Major Canetta appears in the video below at the 0:10 mark.

The theme of Major Canetta's message was Inspiration. She opened her remarks by asking the students what words they associated with inspiration, and their responses included achievements, courage, motivation and passion. Major Canetta used this working definition of inspiration for the purpose of the remaining discussion:

A feeling that motivates you to take action, pursue your goals or adopt positive traits based on someone or something's influence, including an emotional or mental stimulation, a positive influence, or an uplifting experience.

The impacts of motivation are motivation to act, learning and growth, and creating a ripple effect.

"I grew up right here in St. Louis, and my family lived pretty close to St. Louis Lambert Airport," Major Canetta told the students, "so we would go to the parking lot right underneath where the airplanes were taking off and landing. While watching those planes, I always wondered what it would be like to fly...Another aviation influence that I had early on in my life was going to the Spirit of St. Louis Airshow every year. If you've never been to an airshow, I highly recommend it. There is something so special about feeling the rumble of the jets flying overhead, watching the Blue Angels in their close formations and getting to climb into every cockpit of the static display airplanes and helicopters that made flying seem so thrilling and adventurous and I wanted to do it too!"

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

One of Major Canetta's positive influences was a sixth-grade teacher who was very enthusiastic about space flight. He would teach at the NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, AL each summer and bring back fun and interactive lessons for his students who then became the space subject matter experts in the school. He inspired her to develop an interest in aviation and aerospace, providing the spark that ignited her new passion to become an astronaut. 

"I would read and watch anything that had to do with NASA and the space programs and learn as much as I could," she continued. "When I was younger and people asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I answered with confidence. But as soon as I said it, whether it was pilot, astronaut or anything that seemed ambitious, I could see the doubt in their faces...But you know what, that doubt didn't discourage me, it fueled me.

"I realized something powerful. Other people don't get to decide what you're capable of - you do. I used their doubt as my motivation, and I turned their no, into my watch me...You are the pilot of your own future. you don't need permission to chase your dreams. You just need the courage to keep going even when others don't see the vision yet. Because one day, they will, and they'll say, 'She actually did it.'"

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

In pursuit of her astronaut dream, she began a search for colleges with aviation programs and landed at St. Louis University. She soloed in 2009, earned her private pilot certificate in her freshman year and achieved a U.S. Air Force pilot slot after starting the ROTC process a year late. After graduating with her degree and the remaining pilot certificates and ratings, she began her flight training in the T-6A Texan II. She then opted for the transport/tanker training track in the T-1A Jayhawk and received her first assignment - flying and instructing in the C-21A at Scott Air Force Base. 

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

Her next duty station was the 305th AMW at McGuire AFB, NJ flying the KC-10A Extender aerial tanker/cargo aircraft for four years before the type was retired from service. Major Canetta then returned to her current assignment flying the C-21A at Scott AFB. 

(Photo courtesy of Major Alicia Canetta)

Major Canetta remains focused on being the best U.S. Air Force pilot, instructor and mentor possible as she circles back to her dreams of becoming an astronaut. Did she make the correct decision selecting the transport/tanker track over fighters? Yes. There are many paths to earning a place in current and future space programs. She exudes the confidence to inspire the next generation of students like those at Girls in Aviation Day.

"Today, you inspire me," Major Canetta said in closing. "On this Girls in Aviation Day, I see the future of aviation in each of you. Bright. Bold. Boundless. You are the next generation of pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, aircraft maintainers, flight dispatchers and maybe even some astronauts. You belong here - in the hangars, in the control towers and in the cockpits. Aviation needs your ideas, your skills, your curiosity, your determination and your dreams. So, will you create a ripple effect? Will you be the one who breaks barriers, lifts others and changes the narrative? Be bold. Be brave. And start making those dreams your reality." 

The Aero Experience thanks St. Louis University, St. Louis Downtown Airport, the exhibitors, the student panel, Keynote Speaker U.S. Air Force Major Alicia Canetta and everyone who contributed to making this an inspirational event!