HBCU, News

Tuskegee Senior Earns Pilot License, First in Nearly 80 Years

Jamie Jackson
September 17, 2025

Reading Time: < 1 minute

(AURN News) — Tuskegee University is marking a milestone in aviation education. For the first time in nearly 80 years, a student in Tuskegee’s Aviation Science program has earned a private pilot license.

Isaiah Hand, a senior from Tallahassee, Florida, received his license at Moton Field in August. The achievement comes as Tuskegee relaunches its four-year Aviation Science degree program.

Nearly 50 students are now enrolled in the program. The university says its Aerospace Science Engineering Department is the second-largest in the College of Engineering.

The accomplishment recalls Tuskegee’s legacy in flight training and opens new doors for students pursuing aviation careers today.

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Jamie Jackson is an Emmy-nominated television and radio broadcaster who has served American Urban Radio Networks since 2015. He previously covered the Obama and Trump administrations as a White House Correspondent and Pool Reporter for AURN News. Jamie hosted a national PBS television special in 2023 and over the years has worked as a TV news anchor and local NPR host for stations across the country. His work has been honored by numerous organizations, including the NAACP and the Virginia Farm Bureau.