Women in Aviation International announced last week the formation of the Pat Luebke Memorial Scholarship for 2020, following the death of longtime WAI member and former Flying colleague Patricia Luebke on November 22, 2019, after a brief illness.
Luebke, born October 9, 1950, worked as a schoolteacher after college, but quickly transitioned to the aviation industry, starting out as an advertising assistant for Flying magazine in 1974. Her responsibility and leadership grew over the years, and she eventually became a vice president at the publishing company, lending her attention to detail and discerning voice to the magazine for nearly 28 years. Later in her career, she delivered on her expertise in writing, editing, and consulting to support a range of clientele including Sporty’s Pilot Shop, AOPA, the Aircraft Electronics Association, and Women in Aviation.
It’s perhaps her work at WAI that brought her closest to her core values, which throughout her life had been to connect and support people interested in aviation as a career. Her contributions to the organization were many, including a regular column for Aviation for Women, on professional development, and the coordination of the Daily newsletter at the WAI conference for several years. Luebke also was responsible for the genesis behind Girls in Aviation Day—which has reached about 56,150 young people around the world—and the annual group photo of women at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The scholarship is the organization’s most immediate way to honor Luebke’s service and legacy. According to the press release, it’s meant to “encourage WAI members to pursue their own best aviation-related personal development goal. Applications must be received via email to Donna Wallace ([email protected]) no later than Friday, January 10, 2020, midnight EST. Requirements include: an active WAI membership through March 2020, a WAI official scholarship application form, your resume (no longer than 2 pages) and a 500-word essay explaining how you would use the scholarship to further your own aviation personal development goal. If any of Pat’s stories inspired you, please include in your essay.” For more information, potential applicants can contact Wallace via the email address above. It’s worth noting that the scholarship (and WAI membership) is not limited to certain applicants by gender.
The Pat Luebke Memorial Scholarship will be awarded at the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, March 5-7, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. Donations for the scholarship can be made online here or checks can be mailed to WAI’s headquarters, payable to Women in Aviation International, with a notation regarding the scholarship in the memo.
