MGA alum Omar Brock was featured in an article by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he shares his insight and experience as a Black pilot and discusses how the aviation industry can continue to make strides to be more inclusive.
Brock is currently a flight instructor and creator of The Brock Foundation, Inc., which propels diversity in aviation by promoting "initiatives that serve inner-city minority children as it relates to career discovery" in the industry.
"Brock says many Black kids don’t consider aviation careers because they’re never exposed to them when they’re young. Programs like his, which partners with schools in Morrow and others in Clayton County, help make that connection.
“'They have to see it before the dream materializes,' Brock told Capital B Atlanta of the students he and his volunteer pilots help mentor."
Adon Clark, dean of the School of Aviation, was also featured in the article, highlighting MGA's increasingly inclusive student enrollment, which has "surged from less than 10% in 2014 to an estimated 38%" in 2024.
"Clark said his school’s Black enrollment is higher than others due in part to its more affordable tuition costs and its efforts to improve diversity since he became dean in 2014. He estimates the total cost of training to become a commercial airline pilot to be about $96,000 at MGA.
"MGA’s outreach efforts include recruiting students from Georgia high schools and colleges, hosting an aviation summer camp for middle-school kids, and working with groups like the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals."
