Women’s Aeronautical Association Scholarship

Charles Lindberg’s historical flight across the Atlantic inspired considerable enthusiasm for aviation. One Wichita resident stirred by such excitement was June Harrison Mayer, who soon after started the Women’s Aeronautical Association. Chartered in 1929 with 45 members, the newly formed organization undertook several projects suggested by men in local aviation groups. The first of which was to bring coast-to-coast airmail service to Wichita, which the Association accomplished by collecting a required 5,000 pieces of mail to go out. In 1933, they hosted the Women’s Air Derby. In attendance were Amelia Earhart, Ruth Nichols and other famous aviators. A year later, they organized the unveiling of a TWA luxury liner christened ‘City of Wichita.’

During World War II, their organization staffed a War Bond Booth in Wichita with 26 women each week for three years to help with the war effort. They also assisted service men passing through Union Station, offering them candy, gum, cookies, soap and more. Following the war, they raised money for hospitals, collected Wichita aviation history and memorabilia, and developed scholarships to assist those pursuing higher education in aviation. For more than 75 years, the Women’s Aeronautical Association has provided support for deserving individuals and worthwhile organizations in Wichita.