NEWS

April 29-30, Louisiana Tech University’s Department of Professional Aviation will host its annual Aviation Festival (AVFEST) after experiencing three years of canceled festivals.

During the weekend, students, family, faculty, and alumni will gather to celebrate the program, hear about the state of the airline industry, and build relationships with those studying and working in the field.

“This festival is an opportunity for us to get together and for students to network with alumni who are in the industry,” said Col. Tom Garza, Associate Professor and Chair of the Aviation Department. “It’s a gathering of family, alumni, friends, and students to learn about the department and the trends we’re seeing in the industry.”

While this festival was a tradition for many years in the aviation department, because of the past years’ cancellations, many current students have never attended AVFEST. Garza said those in the department are thrilled to bring back this tradition.

“Louisiana Tech is a big family, and the Department of Aviation is a smaller family within,” Garza said. “We are really close, and this festival gives us the opportunity to get the family together again, to catch up, network, and get to know each other better. It makes us a stronger family unit.”

With any funds raised during this weekend, the aviation department plans to fund student scholarships.

Schedule of events

Friday, April 29

• Jambalaya Social at 6 p.m. in the Argent Alumni Pavilion

Saturday, April 30

• State of the Industry presentation and question-and-answer time at 9 a.m. in Room 113, Davison Hall
• Burger Burn Cookout at 11 a.m. at the Ruston Aviation Hangar
• Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Meeting at 1:30 p.m. in the Flight Operations Classroom
• Industry Advisory Board Meeting at 2:30 p.m. in the Flight Operations Classroom
• AVFEST Awards Banquet at 6 p.m. in the Davison Athletics Complex

This story was written by Marketing student Sophie Edwards.