Two Students Recognized with Jannus Aviation Awards

College of Aeronautics undergrads Eunseo Heo and Jacob Wolfe have each won a 2023 Scholars Award from the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society. 

They will each receive cash awards of $4,000.

Heo is seeking a bachelor’s degrees in aviation management with an associate degree in flight operations and dispatch, and Wolfe is seeking a bachelor’s degree in aviation management with flight technology.

Heo’s career goals are to become an aircraft dispatcher and an airport designer – with a pilot’s perspective. Wolfe hopes to become a commercial airline pilot. 

“This is a great accomplishment, and all your teachers at the college are very proud of you,” noted Rian Mehta, assistant dean in the College of Aeronautics, in informing Heo and Wolfe of their awards.

The recipients were feted at an awards banquet on Nov. 2 in Tampa.

The Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society is named for the aviator who, in January 1914, flew a paying passenger from St. Petersburg to Tampa in a Benoist airboat. The achievement established the Tampa Bay area as the home of the first scheduled commercial airline.

To be eligible for the award, students must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program from an accredited college or university in Florida and must have completed at least 30 credit hours with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of the application.

Award applicants were evaluated on academic achievement; quality of essay submitted as part of the application process; general accomplishments; demonstrated commitment to aviation; and subjective factors as deemed appropriate by the awards committee.