For as long as I can remember, flight has always been my obsession and my dream. A dream that took to the skies in a small regional airport in Show Low, Arizona, where I took my first flight in a Cessna 172. No words can describe the feeling of flight or the thrill of gathering enough speed to take off. It was this indescribable feeling of flight that acted as a catalyst in my life; inspiring me to pursue a major in professional flight at Arizona State University. I will be a full-time student at ASU's Polytechnic Campus in Fall 2024, where I will also be a student at the Barrett Honors College and the AeroGuard Flight School. As excited as I am to be a Sun Devil and a flight student, it doesn't come without the stress of debt. To get a bachelor's degree by itself is a financial burden in the United States with the average college student graduating with $30,000 in debt. Thankfully, however, I am able to alleviate most of this undergraduate debt through my awarding of Arizona State University's second highest scholarship; the Provost Scholarship. Unfortunately, however, is the fact that this scholarship will not cover the $112,000 tuition cost of the AeroGuard Flight School. Up until this point I had never once considered not following my dream of becoming a pilot. Yet with the overwhelming threat of not being able to pay for flight school, I am left with this question; should I give up my lifelong dream of flying?

It is through your generous donations, that I will be able to answer this question and continue to keep my head in the clouds.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your donation. I truly appreciate the love and support.

-Ryan Conner