Source: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
- Full-Tuition Scholarships Available to 30 Students from Communities Surrounding JFK Airport Seeking Undergraduate or Graduate Degrees in Aviation or Related Field
- Scholarship Program Creates Opportunities in Aviation for Local Students While Helping to Meet the Demand for Skilled Professionals to Operate the Region’s New Airport Facilities
- $2 Million Program will be Funded by the Port Authority and its Private Terminal Developer Partners at JFK
Application Process for the Scholarship Program Now Open for the 2026 Fall Semester
Video from Today’s Announcement is Available Here
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today announced the launch of the JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship programs at Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology and at the CUNY Aviation Center at York College, which will create opportunities in aviation and engineering for students from communities surrounding John F. Kennedy International Airport, while also helping to meet the demand for skilled professionals at the region’s airport facilities.
The scholarship program will be funded jointly by the Port Authority and the private terminal developer partners: New Terminal One (T1), JFK Millennium Partners (T6), American Airlines (T8), Delta Air Lines and JFKIAT (T4).
Scholarships covering full tuition and fees for up to four years will be awarded to 10 high school seniors pursuing undergraduate bachelor’s degrees with a focus on aviation and aeronautics at Vaughn College in East Elmhurst. The first class of five scholars will begin the four-year program in the 2026-27 academic year. Additionally, full-tuition scholarships and fees for up to two years will be awarded to 20 graduate students to pursue a master’s degree related to aviation at the CUNY Aviation Center at York College in Jamaica. The first class of 5 graduate students will begin the two-year graduate program in the 2026-27 academic year. Scholarship recipients will also have access to paid internships and fellowships with the Port Authority and JFK terminal operators.
“With the historic redevelopment at JFK, it is critical that the Port Authority continue to invest in talent from the surrounding communities by enabling local students access to opportunities that a new, world-class airport will present,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “The Port Authority’s unprecedented $50 billion investment in new airport facilities across at JFK, Newark Liberty International Airport and at LaGuardia Airport creates an equally unprecedented opportunity to tap into the talents and the potential of the people of our host communities.”
“The JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship program is a vital part of the Port Authority’s commitment to share the benefits of our investment at JFK with the surrounding communities, while creating a pipeline of the skilled professionals we will need to operate one of the most advanced global gateways in the world,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “I’d like to thank our private partners at JFK and members of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council for supporting an initiative that is so important to our local students and to our region.”
The JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship is a critical community initiative that addresses what is becoming a dire need in the aviation industry. Due to steady growth in commercial aviation, coupled with retirements of current industry employees, there is a projected need for more than 2.4 million new aviation employees over the next two decades, according to a recent study by Boeing, the global aerospace company.
Since launching the Port Authority’s airport redevelopment program, the agency has sponsored science, technology, engineering and math programs for students from kindergarten through college in communities around LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and JFK International Airport.
Working with the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council, led by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, the Port Authority and private terminal developer partners have sponsored a wide range of community benefits programs for the communities surrounding JFK International Airport, including the Aviation & Aeronautics Academy at York College, a STEM program for K-12 students, the Rockaway Career Center with CAO and Rockaway Development & Revitalization Corp. to help local residents seeking jobs on-airport, and the Institute of Concessions to help train businesses seeking concessions opportunities at an airport.
For more information about how to apply for the JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship at Vaughn College or at the CUNY Aviation Center at York College, click here.
“The New Terminal One at JFK is deeply rooted in the community and excited to be part of the JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship program, which represents more than financial support; it is a commitment to empowering future leaders who will make a lasting impact at JFK, throughout Queens, and beyond,” said Jennifer Aument, CEO of New Terminal One at JFK.
“As Delta continues to invest in the future of JFK as a premier global gateway, we are equally committed to investing in the people and communities that make this airport thrive,” said Shamik Banerjee, vice president of airport operations at JFK for Delta Air Lines. “The JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship reflects our shared responsibility to open doors for local students, build a strong and diverse aviation workforce, and ensure the long-term success of this historic transformation. We are proud to partner with the Port Authority and our fellow terminal operators to help create meaningful pathways into aviation careers for the next generation.”
“As a Queens-based business with deep roots in the local community, JFKIAT has a longstanding commitment to investing in the people and institutions of our borough,” said Roel Huinink, chief executive officer of JFKIAT. “Through enduring partnerships with Virgil I. Grissom MS 226 and August Martin High School, we have worked through our 4GOOD program to strengthen educational foundations and support scholarship programs for students across our community. We have also collaborated with Vaughn College, York College, and Farmingdale State College to expand aviation-based internship opportunities, creating meaningful career pathways for the next generation of local talent. We are proud to work with the Port Authority and the JFK Airport community to support the launch of these scholarship programs – a reflection of our ongoing dedication to making opportunity accessible to all members of our community.”
“As we prepare to open a world-class Terminal 6, we need world-class talent to match it. The students in the communities surrounding JFK have the drive and potential to lead the future of aviation, and this scholarship program gives them a direct pathway to careers that will power our new global gateway. JFK Millennium Partners is proud to help these young leaders take off,” said Steve Thody, CEO of JFK Millennium Partners.
Delivering a worldclass experience for our customers at JFK Terminal 8, which is operated by American Airlines, requires growing a talented pipeline of aviation professionals locally,” said Amanda Zhang, vice president of corporate real estate at American Airlines. “This scholarship program will help cultivate that future workforce right here in Queens and American Airlines is honored to partner with the Port Authority and the JFK Redevelopment community on this initiative to support both our passengers and our neighbors.”
“Queens is home to some of the most extraordinary young minds with talents that represent the very best of what the next generation has to offer,” said U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks of New York, co-chair of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council. “Creating pathways to higher education for students in my District is a strategic investment in the future of our local workforce. When local students thrive and succeed, our community grows stronger.”
“Ensuring the transformational $19 billion redevelopment of JFK is of, by and especially for borough the airport calls home is more than a goal — it is the mission at the very heart of this project. This incredible scholarship program at Vaughn College and York College is just the latest example of that,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., co-chair of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council. “Preparing our kids today for the aviation jobs of tomorrow is an investment in not only their futures, but the futures of their families, their communities, their borough and the airports themselves. I’m proud to work alongside the Port Authority and all our private partners in giving youth from historically disadvantaged communities not a hand-out, but a hand-up through this program. This is what true community development looks like.”
“Vaughn College is honored to partner on this scholarship program that expands opportunity for students from the neighborhoods surrounding JFK International Airport. For more than 90 years, our mission has been to ensure that talented, determined students — many of whom are the first in their families to pursue higher education — can access rewarding futures in aviation, engineering, management and technology,” said Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo. “This investment will change lives, strengthen families, and help build the workforce that makes our region stronger. We commend and thank the Port Authority and all JFK Redevelopment terminal partners for creating lasting pathways to careers that uplift our communities.”
“This scholarship goes far beyond tuition support — it positions our students for strong post‑graduate outcomes and meaningful careers that uplift families and communities,” said York College President Dr. Claudia Schrader. “For many of our students, JFK has always been part of their daily landscape. Now, they can move from simply living near one of the world’s busiest airports to shaping its future as engineers, analysts, technologists, and aviation leaders. This partnership ensures that the young people who grew up in the shadow of JFK can build futures within it — transforming their degrees into real opportunities and careers with purpose.”
“As chair of Higher Education in the New York state Assembly, I view the JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship as far more than a program, it is a direct investment in our students and our community,” said New York state Assembly Member Alicia L. Hyndman, co-chair of the Community Advisory Council Education Committee. “This partnership with the Port Authority, Vaughn College, and York College ensures that the $19 billion redevelopment of JFK Airport creates real pathways to opportunity for families living near the airport. Offering 30 full-tuition scholarships in aviation and engineering demonstrates the powerful impact of aligning talent with opportunity. Our students are inspired by what they can achieve, our community benefits, and this initiative stands as a strong blueprint for how the public and private sectors can work together to uplift communities and strengthen our local economy.”
“For too long, major infrastructure projects have moved forward without guaranteeing meaningful access for the communities closest to them. This scholarship program helps change that. Students in Southeast Queens deserve a clear pathway into the careers being created right in their backyard,” said New York state Senator Leroy Comrie. “By investing in local talent and connecting students to education and paid experience, we are strengthening our workforce and ensuring opportunity reaches the families who call this community home.”
“The redevelopment of JFK Airport is a game-changer for our area, bringing together big infrastructure projects and chances for our students to succeed, said New York state Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. “The Opportunity Scholarship program, which is a partnership between Vaughn College and the CUNY Aviation Center at York College, will give young people in our communities access to top-notch careers in aviation and engineering. This will not only help them but also make sure we have a skilled workforce to run and maintain the new airport facilities. I’m happy to back programs that put money into education, help local families, and push our region to be stronger and more successful. By doing this, we’re investing in the future of our community and giving our students the tools they need to thrive. It’s a win-win situation, and I’m excited to see the positive impact it will have on our area. With this program, we’re opening doors to new opportunities and creating a brighter future for our young people.”
“This scholarship program represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking investment our communities deserve. As JFK undergoes historic redevelopment, it is essential that the young people who live in the neighborhoods surrounding the airport have a direct pathway into the careers being created there. By providing full-tuition opportunities at Vaughn College and the CUNY Aviation Center at York College, we are not just building terminals; we are building futures,” said New York state Senator James Sanders Jr. “I commend the Port Authority and its partners for ensuring that Southeast Queens students are positioned to lead in aviation, engineering, and the next generation of airport operations. Of course I would like to see more.”
“The JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship emulates the power of investing in our community to invest in our future. This transformational opportunity is providing impact to our students by creating a direct pathway to careers in aviation, technology, and transportation,” said New York state Assembly Member Clyde Vanel. “As we continue to champion for equity and access, let us also continue to strive for inclusivity and community partnership like we see JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship emulates.”
“This scholarship is a major step in the right direction toward achieving equitable economic development at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. As JFK is designed to be a world-class, global gateway, it is critical that we provide residents of the communities immediately surrounding the airport with an opportunity for a career that is being created right in their backyard,” said New York state Assembly Member Michaelle Solages. “By investing in local talent through providing full tuition scholarships, paid internships, and creating true workforce pipelines, the Port Authority and its partners are helping to make sure that the future of aviation will be created by the communities who have lived next to this airport for many years. This is how we convert our major infrastructure investments into sustainable opportunities for working families.”
“This $19 billion investment is crucial to our community and represents a transformative opportunity for our Black and Brown students,” said New York state Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson. “Through this scholarship, I hope those leading this program remain committed to bridging the gap between education and real-world opportunity for these scholars. We need to keep empowering the next generation to apply their skills and access local jobs and lasting careers right here in our own community.”
“As a current member of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council and someone who previously worked on the program’s community engagement efforts, I’ve seen how important it is that this transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport creates real opportunity for the communities that surround it,” said New York City Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “The Opportunity Scholarship with Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology and the CUNY Aviation Center at York College reflects a commitment not just to building new terminals, but to building a strong, local workforce. By investing in our students today, we are ensuring they are prepared to lead and sustain the future of this world-class airport for decades to come.”
“Students from the communities around JFK, especially Southeast Queens, are capable, ambitious, and ready to succeed in aviation,” said New York City Council Member Ty Hankerson. “This scholarship program covers tuition and connects local students to careers, creating a stronger path for young people in our community to move into stable, long-term careers. I want to thank the Port Authority, the terminal partners, and the members of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council for delivering for our young people and investing in their success.”
“The purposes of the JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarship program to provide opportunities for local students pursuing degrees related to aviation and to aid in growing the skilled aviation professionals need to operate world class airports in our area is a ‘win-win’ for us, as we serve an area directly adjacent to JFK,” said Betty Braton, chair of Queens Community Board 10. “We look forward to this opportunity for our students and to the continuing partnership between the Port Authority and other entities involved in the ongoing JFK redevelopment project.”
“Queens has long been a gateway for opportunity, and this scholarship program ensures that young people from the communities surrounding JFK can directly benefit from the airport’s historic transformation,” said Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech. “By investing in local students pursuing careers in aviation and related fields, we are building a stronger workforce, expanding access to high-quality careers, and ensuring that the economic impact of the JFK redevelopment is felt right here in Queens for generations to come.”
“Aviation is one of the most vital sectors of the Queens economy, and this investment will help empower our home-grown students to become leaders in the field. We applaud the Port Authority and the terminal partners for this forward-looking initiative, and we look forward to seeing the great things that these students do for the industry, and the borough, in the future,” said Queens Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Ben Guttmann.
“The scholarship programs are a strategic ongoing commitment by the Port Authority to invest in southeast Queens through our residents. Beyond the massive modernization of JFK, these scholarships help solidify a future for some of our best minds,” said Justin Rodgers, president & CEO of Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. “Thank you to every partner involved in this generous initiative.”