NIFA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

NIFA is proud to present the Achievement Award to qualified individuals. This award recognizes the recipient’s academic accomplishments, aviation involvement and community service. Three monetary awards will be presented.

Interview Question Format & Guide

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Must hold at least a private pilot certificate.
2. May not be a previous first place winner of the award.
3. Must be a full-time student in good standing.
4. Need not be from a school competing in the National SAFECON.
5. Limited to one male and one female applicant from each NIFA member school.

PROCEDURES:

1. Candidates must complete the 2023 Achievement Award Application with two attachments:
   • Letter of recommendation from an instructor or member of the faculty which speaks to academic accomplishments, aviation involvement and community service.
   • Personal Resume
2. Submit your application by Monday, May 1 at 11:59PM CDT. 
3. Be available for an in-person interview week of May 8-12, 2023.
4. Coaches will sign the applicants up for interview times when the online appointment calendars open.  COACHES WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMING THE APPLICANTS OF THE INTERVIEW DATE AND TIME.
5. All candidates will be interviewed by NIFA Judges. The applicants will be asked questions and judged in regard to their academic accomplishments, aviation involvement and community service. Financial need and career goals will be taken into consideration.
6. Candidates will be scored on both their applications and the interview.
7. Questions should be addressed to seniorchiefjudge@nifa.aero

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Monday, May 1 2023 at 11:59PM CDT.

DEADLINE FOR SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS: Friday, May 5 2023 at 11:59PM CDT.

Please CLICK HERE to access the appointment calendar to schedule your Achievement Award interview.

Once you have read the above qualifications, please click the button below to access the application form for the Achievement Awards.

Click here to access the Achievement Awards application

This year, there is no longer a requirement to have an instructor certificate. Participants are allowed if they are enrolled in, but not currently finished with, a course in flight instruction. Also, those with a ground instructor certificate or who may be finishing a course to receive a ground instructor certificate are welcome to participate. Verification of enrollment will be asked prior to each scheduled event time.

More than one person per team may participate, depending on schedule availability. All teams will first have the chance to schedule their primary participant. Then, starting on Saturday May 6, any remaining appointment slots will be available for teams to schedule subsequent participants if they wish.

The topic for the event will be shared by the event judge at your scheduled interview time.

Please CLICK HERE to access the appointment calendar to schedule your CFI Event.  ***NOTE:  PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE WITH LESS THAN 24 HRS NOTICE WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE EVENT JUDGE***

Each NIFA member school may nominate their coach for the Coach of the Year Award.

The National Intercollegiate Flying Association Coach of the Year Award is  presented annually at the National SAFECON Banquet to the coach who  exemplifies the standards and goals set forth in the purposes of NIFA. See  NIFA By-Law 0.2. 

Qualifications and Procedures: The coach does NOT need to be from a team competing at the current National SAFECON. A team of judges will evaluate the written nomination letters. Candidates are scored on a 50-point scale. 

Judging Criteria: In a letter with separate paragraphs addressing the  criteria, please tell NIFA why your coach is deserving of this award. The  criteria to be addressed are: 

1. Leadership, Inspiration, and Support of Flight Team, School and NIFA (15  pts). 
2. Professionalism (10 pts). 
3. Organization and Delegation of Team Responsibilities (10 pts).
4. 4. Professional Development and Instructional Skills (10 pts).
5. 5. History of SAFECON Excellence (5 pts).

Submission will be accepted until 6PM CDT Friday, May 12th!

The Collegiate Aviation Progress Award is awarded to the most improved school at SAFECON.  Please click here to view the scoring criteria for this award.

Each team may nominate one member as their “Outstanding Team Member.”  You will only be able to enter one name from your team, so do not submit your team’s name until you have made your final decision.

Submissions will be accepted until 6PM CDT Friday, May 12th!

This award is presented to the team at SAFECON who has demonstrated the highest levels of good sportsmanship.  Each team present at SAFECON may cast one vote for another team.  Please submit your nomination by clicking the button below.

Submissions will be accepted until 6PM CDT Friday, May 12th!