WCCS hosts annual aviation program to enlighten students of options
Published 9:23 am Wednesday, May 7, 2025
WCCS President Dr. James M. Mitchell welcomes a room full of students of the Selma and Dallas school system to the university’s annual aviation day program. | Faith Callens, Selma Times-Journal
A multitude of students attended Wallace Community College Selma’s annual aviation day, which included a seminar, a video presentation and a hands-on interactive experience. |Faith Callens, Selma Times-Journal
WCCS President Dr. James M. Mitchell welcomes a room full of students of the Selma and Dallas school system to the university’s annual aviation day program. | Brent Maze, Selma Times-Journal
Jim Corrigan speaks with the students during Aviation Day. | Brent Maze, The Selma Times-Journal
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On Thursday, Wallace Community College Selma held its annual aviation program at Craig Field Airport and Industrial Park to give students in the Selma and Dallas school system an opportunity to learn about vast career options in aviation.
WCCS President Dr. James M. Mitchell said often times, aviation is one of those fields within the Black Belt that is overlooked.
He said through their new aviation program, his goal is to make sure those careers are exposed. He looked at their annual aviation day that was held last week as a “beautiful opportunity” for students to understand just how diverse the aviation field is.
“We have five companies catered to aviation out here at Craig Air Field,” Mitchell said. “There’s a lot of potential, and we want our students to know about that potential.”
Mitchell said the great thing about the aviation program that they have at WCCS is that students can be exposed to a wide range of career options whether they are interested in being a pilot, a maintenance technician or interested in working air traffic control.
Executive Director James Corrigan of the Craig Field Airport and Industrial Authority spoke to the students during the program about his experience as a young boy going to an aviation seminar just like they did on Thursday.
“I was a seventh grader, and my parents took my brother and I to an open house just like this,” Corrigan said. “Wherever we went and looked at airplanes, we said we could never do that. No way and everybody said, ‘Yes, you can.’ A few years later, we both had the opportunity to go fly airplanes. We flew the F-16, the best fighter plane in the world, and we were the first brothers to get over 1,000 hours in that airplane. We both had 50 years of flying time, and we said at one time, no we couldn’t. So, I tell you today, when you walk around talk to pilots, talk to the maintainers, talk to these recruiters. If aviation doesn’t appeal to you, there are plenty of other desks to know about other occupations. But tell yourself, ‘Yes, I can.’”
WCCS Dean of Instruction and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Tammie Briggs also spoke to the students about the university’s newest building dedicated to the workforce of aviation.
“We have renovated a dedicated building to house our aviation program,” Briggs said. “In that building, it is now equipped with full size-FAA approved flight simulators. We have developed a robust curriculum to support students who want to pursue professional flight careers. We built transfer partnerships with Auburn University that will offer a seamless pathway for students to complete a four-year degree after earning their private pilot license and their associate and science degree right here in Selma with Wallace Community College. In addition, we’ve expanded our reach through strong industry partnerships with Resicum International LLC and Advanced Traffic Control. ATC will be partnering with Wallace to do air traffic control training. Then, Resicum will be partnering with us to facilitate the avionics and the aircraft maintenance training. And, today we are happy to say that we will be recruiting for those programs.”
Briggs said through the aviation day seminar, they are hoping to gain prospects for the aviation programs that will be held this summer.
“We are super excited that you all are here to take advantage of those,” Briggs said. “Our team has been hard at work building bridges to the future and we are ecstatic about our connections, opportunities and inspirations that you will receive here today.”
The event’s guest speaker was Chris Strickland, who is a distinguished leader, strategist and mentor who brings a powerful blend of liberty, military precision and academic insight, according to the program’s emcee Dr. Sheree Finley.
“As the president of Dunn University, a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran and former Thunderbird pilot, Strickland has dedicated his life to excellence, resilience and transformative leadership at Dunn University. He channels decades of high stakes experience into shaping future students, future leaders like you to dream boldly and act greatly. He will challenge you and let you know that your dreams are valid, your voice matters and your future is being shaped by the choices you make today,” Finley said.
Strickland spoke to the crowd about being from a small town named Shelby, and how a kid from Alabama pursued the goal of flying. He also spoke about his journey being in the Air Force, flying various aircrafts including a Mach 2 that travels at twice the speed of sound.
“There are so many benefits in the military,” Strickland said. “Not just the Air Force, that you need to know about. Opportunities are there for you to change your start and move to a different path. I also started out in a McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.”
Then, Strickland showed videos of the F-15 aircraft and its take off including the F-16 aircraft and how he moved from flying the F-15 aircraft to flying the Thunderbird.
“After the Thunderbird, I flew the aggressor charger,” Strickland said. “Where we paint them funny and we fly like competition.”
He then told his experience working at the Pentagon, being just 31 years old. Among many other working experiences to allow the students in room to know that aviation is a wider field than just one or two occupations. He also spoke to the students about dreaming and how they need to have goals in their life to make their dreams come true even if it’s not in aviation.
“You need to have a reach goal,” Strickland said. “And you need to have more of a safe goal because you need to always reach for your true potential. We always have a backup plan because your dreams live in the clouds. They live in the sky. We are aviation. Talk to any pilot where our dreams are and they will tell you, “It’s cloud chasing about 50,000 feet. So, as you grow up, keep those wings strapped to your back. Keep those dreams alive. Know that you can do anything you want to do.”
Several other inspiring messages came from Strickland during the seminar. Leading to a Q&A session that allowed students to ask questions about aviation and its careers.
The event concluded with students from every school in the Black Belt breaking off in groups to attend the hands-on experience portion of the university’s annual aviation day.
