In this month’s Scholarship Corner, we will continue to our 2026 scholarship recipients. We had the pleasure of meeting with some of our recent scholarship recipients at the Buckeye Air Fair and I am happy to report that they are working hard and making great progress. It’s always encouraging to see how the APA Scholarship program helps these students achieve their career goals.
It’s also encouraging to the continued contributions and commitment to the program from our membership. Thank you for supporting this important part of APA’s mission.
Sofia Genova
My name is Sofia Genova, and I am so honored to be a recipient of the Arizona Pilots Association Scholarship. I am currently a student at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and I am pursuing a degree in Airway Science. I was introduced to flying through the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) in high school when I took an aviation class. Ever since then I have been working to achieve my goal of becoming an airline pilot.
This scholarship is crucial in helping me accelerate my training and get my commercial license. This semester I will be time building and training for my commercial check ride and then I will get my Multi-engine, CFI, and CFII certifications. I hope to join a regional airline where I will then transition to a major airline. Thank you again for this opportunity and for your interest in future aviators.
Jonathan Anderson
I would like to start this off by saying thank you. This is the second chance that I have been given the opportunity to further my education with this scholarship I have been provided with and I am extremely grateful. My career goals are the same as last time as they include becoming an aircraft mechanic as well as continuing my education to pursue a bachelor’s degree. My goals originated years ago. When I was just a kid, my dad would take my brothers and I to the hangar where he worked. Later, around COVID time, I was given the chance to work with him on an Embraer Legacy 600 fixing wheels, furniture, and navigation updates. All these instances where I have been around planes have fueled the fire of my interest in aviation.
As soon as I got out of high school, I started A&P school and in May of 2025, I finished and received my airframe and powerplant mechanic’s license. Also, I recently completed my associate’s degree in applied science for Aviation. My next steps are to transfer to ASU and complete a bachelor’s degree in the same field. This scholarship is going to assist in paying for the tuition cost of ASU and having even a portion of those costs relieved, will lift a huge weight off my shoulders. I will be able to focus more on my studies rather than worry about how I am going to fund my education. I truly thank you all at the Arizona Pilot’s Association for the trust and motivation that you all have for me. Thank you.
Addison Anaya
My current goal is to get my Private Pilot’s License before the end of this year. I have six flight hours to date but just started flying in December 2025 with Aviation Explorers Post 352 out of Falcon Field. I hope to achieve my instrument rating before I leave for college. For higher education goals, I am aiming to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and earn a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical science. As a career, I am interested in both flying for a commercial airline or as a stunt pilot. Throughout my aviation journey, I would also like to gain experience in flight instruction and share my love of aviation with others.
Being awarded this APA Scholarship not only helps me pay for my flight training, but it also allows me to work less on the weekends. This allows me more time for flight training, volunteering with Aviation Explorers Post 352, and getting more involved overall with the aviation community. This scholarship isn’t just money to pay for training, though – it is actively turning my aviation dreams into reality.
More to come next month and thank you again for your support in helping APA build the next generation of Arizona aviation professionals.
Chris