April 16, 2007

Cowley honors fifth graduating class from Aviation Tech Center

Pictured with Cowley College president Dr. Patrick J. McAtee is graduate Paul Bleu.

Getting set to open another Aviation Tech facility at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport in the fall, Cowley College’s Aviation Tech program is flourishing as witnessed by the 32 students that took part in the graduation ceremony held Saturday morning at Cowley’s Aviation Tech Center, located at 7603 E. Pawnee in Wichita.

The program opened with around 40 students in 2004 and has grown to have 165 students. The 32 graduates represent the fifth graduating class from Cowley’s Aviation Tech Center.

The additional facility set to open in the fall, will be the same size as the current facility, which is 27,500 square feet.

Felix Lococo, Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standard District Office Manager, gave the commencement address. Lococo focused on two areas that he felt would affect the graduates for the rest of their aviation careers. The areas were excellence and integrity.

He also spoke highly of the education the graduates received at the Aviation Tech Center.
“This school really provides a first quality top of the line education to its graduates,” Lococo said. “You should know you received the best training you can have here at the Aviation Tech Center.”

Lococo also presented FAA awards to students, faculty and staff members of Cowley’s Aviation Tech Center. Cowley president Dr. Patrick J. McAtee accepted the Diamond Award for participation of the faculty.
“The faculty is the reason for success, they have a deep interest in the school,” Noel Gary, chief executive officer for the Aviation Tech program said.

McAtee commended the students and faculty for their hard work.

“I am confident that our faculty has prepared you to where any aircraft you work on I am going to feel comfortable to get on,” McAtee said. “I wish the graduates nothing but success and want to thank the faculty and staff for all of their good work in this program.”

Other dignitaries in attendance along with Lococo, Gary, and McAtee, were, Tim Norton, Second District Sedgwick County Commissioner; Susan Norton, dean of corporate education; Rick Stevens, principal maintenance inspector for the FAA; Jim Walters, vice president of Human Resources at Cessna in Wichita; Pete Gustaf, president of the Wichita Area Technical College; Dan Dymarkowkski, director of labor relations at Hawker Beechcraft; and Lyndon Wells, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Intrust Bank.

Here is a list of graduates: Seth Anderson, Michael Busenitz, Dennis Benson, Paul Bleu, Francisco Carrillo, Richard Ehlert, Alan Epperson, Martha Findley, Bobby Garner, John Hall, Zachary Helms, Daniel Holifield, Robert Jaime, Linda King, David Markos, Juan Miguel Martinez, Garrett Metcalf, Brandon Minnick, Jeffrey Miller, Gary Nichols, Jay Pauls, Eduardo Quintanar, Emanuel Quintanar, Willard Ratchford, Jason Rowl, James Spangler, Scott Spunaugle, Andrew Storey, Brian Thoun, Jimmy Winkler, Robert Winkler, and Joshua Woodsmall.