Two Students Earn EAA/Daher Intern Scholarships

April 27, 2017 - Michelle Peterson of Madison, Wisconsin, and Nathan Graham of Centennial, Colorado, will participate in the work internships of a lifetime, as they are the recipients of this year’s EAA/Daher International Scholarships.

The internship program is now in its 11th year. Each recipient receives a five-week internship at Daher’s Tarbes facility in France, located in the shadow of the Pyrenees Mountains, followed by a week at the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh where they’ll help Daher during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017. All travel, lodging, and work experience is included, as well as a side trip to the Airbus facility at Toulouse.

“This opportunity gives a one-of-a-kind experience for the internship recipients,” said Nicolas Chabbert, Daher senior vice president and CEO of SOCATA North America. “They will spend time with our team in France, gaining expertise in their fields of interest — such as marketing, production, organization, design, support, and service. We hope the experience will make a difference in their future careers, while also benefitting our company by working with the next generation of aviation industry decision-makers.”

Peterson has just completed her third year at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, and also holds a private pilot certificate. She wants to eventually use her aviation and global health backgrounds by flying to underserved regions of the country and providing needed health service. Peterson is a former EAA Young Eagle and has volunteered at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

Graham spent two years studying aerospace engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and is now seeking opportunities to pursue a career in humanitarian aid and service through aviation. He has been an EAA Young Eagles volunteer and was a leader of the Aviation Explorer Post that is sponsored by the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver.

“Daher’s commitment provides an incentive, a challenge to EAA Young Eagles, an opportunity for them to explore a variety of career directions within the aviation field first hand, to see what the future holds,” said Dave Chaimson, EAA’s vice president of marketing and business development. “For a student, nothing is more important. The cultural exchange, the educational opportunities, and the impact on their lives are tremendous.”