Enrollment in Kent State University's College of Aeronautics and Engineering has significantly increased this fall, as demonstrated by students like freshman Michael Marr of Philadelphia, who is in the college’s professional pilot program.
Students like Marr represent a 22% increase in new full-time freshmen in the college, which rose from 278 in 2022 to 340 in 2023.
Marr heard of the program through his cousin, a Pittsburgh resident, who is a Kent State graduate and now works for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Marr earned his private pilot license before reaching Kent State.
“I think Kent State has a great program so far,” said Marr, in between classes in the Aeronautics and Engineering building. “I have two aviation classes right now. Both of my professors are awesome.”
Overall enrollment in the college has continued robust growth this fall increasing from 1,141 students in 2022 to 1,288 students in 2023, representing a 13% increase. In fact, the College of Aeronautics and Engineering was one of the colleges on the Kent Campus that saw the largest increase in enrollment this fall.
The increasing number of students in the college will meet a consequential personnel shortage in the aviation industry where the ranks of professionals have been depleted by retirements and furloughs during COVID.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 16,800 openings for airline and commercial pilots are projected each year, on average, over the decade. And about 3,800 openings for aerospace engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
“This is a field that will continue to grow for quite a few years,” Christina Bloebaum, dean of the college, said during a recent interview with WFMJ-TV 21 in Youngstown. “We do have a shortage across all of aviation. This is not only pilots but also maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers and airport management folks across the entire industry there is a shortage.”
To accommodate the current and future expanding enrollment growth, Kent State has expanded its Aeronautics and Engineering Building by about 44,000 square feet. The college is unique in the country, in that it is the only one that combines the disciplines of aeronautics, engineering and engineering technology in one college.
Sophomore Amina Draher is an aerospace engineering major who had an interest in airplanes and loved math as she grew up, but the movie "Hidden Figures" really inspired her.
Draher of Kent said of the increase in enrollment: “It will be great to have new faces. It is a growing field. This will definitely boost diversity.”
Learn about the College of Aeronautics and Engineering.