By Wendy Sledd
Special to the Leader-Press
Central Texas College reached an exciting new milestone as seven aviation students earned their wings during CTC’s inaugural Aviation Pinning Ceremony at the Skylark Field hangar.
The event marked a bold step forward for the program and a powerful moment of recognition for students who have invested years of rigorous training to prepare for careers in one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries.
Inside the CTC hangar, surrounded by the same aircraft that carried them through countless hours of in-flight and ground training, family, friends, faculty, and community partners gathered to celebrate the achievements of CTC’s newest aviation professionals. Each gold wing pinned symbolized far more than a credential; it represented resilience, technical mastery, and an unshakeable commitment to excellence.
The ceremony served not just as a culmination, but as a launching point.
“This event is to celebrate the hard work our students have put in over the past two and a half years to get to this point and get to the next step of their careers to become commercial airline pilots,” said CTC Aviation Department Director Abe Molina, who personally pinned each graduate. CTC Chancellor Dr. Michele J. Carter presented every student with a certificate of recognition, underscoring the college’s continued investment in preparing skilled aviation professionals.
Among the graduates was student pilot Megan Alfiere, who is preparing to take her next step as a flight instructor in Amarillo. Alfiere began flying in 2022 and has her sights set on eventually joining the flight decks at Southwest or United Airlines. She credits CTC with giving her a transformative experience.
“CTC has been phenomenal and I have learned so much. The instructors are amazing. They have really made the organization that much better,” Alfiere said. “As someone who had previous flight experience before coming here, I can tell you that it is rare to find this. It is like a second family.”
She added that the program’s culture fuels student success.
“CTC has really gone above and beyond to make sure students are motivated, determined, and pushing forward, no matter what failures,” Alfiere said. “We keep going because together we are a team and we make things happen.”
The students will officially graduate with their associate degrees in aviation at the college’s formal graduation ceremony Friday at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center, 6:30 p.m.
With seven students officially earning their FAA certification to become commercial pilots, the ceremony highlighted the strength and momentum of CTC’s aviation program that continues to expand opportunities for the next generation of aviation professionals. The program will begin an aviation mechanics course starting in January.
Enrollment for the Spring semester is currently open. Learn more about CTC’s aviation program at https://shorturl.at/z0eyQ.
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