Republic Airways, the nation’s second-largest regional carrier which operates planes for American, Delta and United, recently donated $20,000 to Texas Southern University. 

Rhonda Arnold, Houston Airports’ Chief Community Relations Officer, attended the May 9 event. TSU President Dr. Lesia L. Crumpton-Young was especially pleased at the airline’s generosity and praised them in her remarks. 

Founded in 1974 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Republic Airways operates a fleet of 200 Embraer 170/175 aircraft and offers scheduled passenger service with nearly 1,000 daily flights to 100 cities in 40 U.S. states, Canada, the Caribbean and Central America.  

Republic joins heavyweight carriers United Airlines and Southwest Airlines in recent new stories chronicling airlines’ outreaches to efforts that can increase diversity in aviation by attracting, training, and equipping more men and women of color.   

Arnold, a longtime member of TSU’s Aviation Advisory Board, was ecstatic at the contribution. 

“There is an awareness of the significant shortage of pilots in the next two decades and these initiatives will go a long way in curtailing those shortages by further opening up the pool of pilot candidates,” Arnold said. 

“The Advisory Board is very pleased and sincerely thanks Republic Airlines for their generosity.”  

TSU launched its aviation science management program in 1986 and offers courses on aviation weather, law, history and safety, and air traffic control. Its pilot program began four years ago.  TSU is the only public four-year institution in Texas to have an aviation management system, a pilot program, and a flight school.