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Page 9 - 2019 President's Annual Report
P. 9

Aligning for success                                                                          Jones Foundation gift expands
                                                                                              Macon flight training
Academic reorganization streamlines academic structure,
offerings                                                                                     New aircraft will double capacity for high-demand
                                                                                              flight program
A new academic organizational structure has helped MGA to strengthen
efforts to create smaller, supportive communities of students, faculty                        A gift from the Charles H. Jones Family Foundation is allowing Middle
and others within the University as a whole.                                                  51¶¯Âþ State to expand its flight training offerings in Macon in response
As of July 1, 2019, MGA’s academic organization is now made up of six                         to an unprecedented demand for pilots within our state and nationwide.
schools, each with two or more departments focused on specific areas                           The Foundation’s $800,000 gift will allow MGA’s School of Aviation to
of study. MGA has long consisted of several different schools but the                         purchase two single-engine Piper Archers, as well as two replacement
University has been restructured in a way that creates even more                              engines, and put them into service as of spring 2020. The new aircraft
cohesion between related scholarly areas. For example, Information                            will allow twice as many student pilots to pursue their flight education
Technology and Mathematics & Statistics are now paired under a new                            at Macon Downtown Airport – increasing the number of aviation
School of Computing. Health Sciences and Natural Sciences are now                             students at the facility from 60 to 120. With agreements in place with
paired under a new School of Health & Natural Sciences.                                       several regional and national air carriers, the University’s flight students
“This school-centered approach is an attempt to create small                                  graduate with pathways into high-demand, high-paying careers.
communities within each of our campuses that can welcome students                             “These new planes will provide Macon-Bibb residents with additional
and help them have ‘a home away from home’ while they progress                                opportunities to start working towards fulfilling and lucrative careers in
through their academic programs,” said Dr. Jon Anderson, Provost and                          aviation,” said Adon Clark, dean of the School of Aviation, “and the
Vice President for Academic Affairs. “This school-based strategy also                         future aviators who will be flying them and the faculty members and
supports the University System of 51¶¯Âþ’s ‘Momentum Year’ efforts to                        flight instructors supporting them will be living, working, and shopping
help incoming students identify an academic area of focus and join                            right here in Macon.”
supportive small communities of other students in their major, the                            Dwight Jones, chair of the Jones Foundation, said the gift reflects the
faculty who teach their classes, the advisors who help them along the                         desire of his late father, Charles H. Jones, to give back to the
way, and all others who share their space within the University.”                             communities he served as a civic leader and successful businessman
                                                                                              and to help grow aviation as an economic driver in the region.
                                                                                              “My father and our Foundation founder, Charles Jones, was a navigator
                                                                                              for the U.S. Navy Air Transport Command during WWII; he was an early
                                                                                              adopter of general aviation for business,” said Jones, himself a longtime
                                                                                              general-aviation pilot. “Our aviation workforce is second to none, and it
                                                                                              is high time that we emphasize MGA’s superior ability to produce highly
                                                                                              qualified pilots to help fill a growing need for pilots in the industry.”

School of Arts & Letters                           School of Computing

     English                                            Information Technology
     History                                            Mathematics & Statistics
     Media, Culture, & The Arts
                                                   School of Education & Behavioral Sciences
School of Aviation
                                                        Political Science
     Aviation Maintenance & Structural Technology       Psychology & Criminal Justice
     Aviation Science & Management                      Teacher Education & Social Work

School of Business                                 School of Health & Natural Sciences

     Accounting & Finance                               Natural Sciences
     Health Services Administration                     Nursing
     Management & Marketing                             Rehabilitation Science
                                                        Respiratory Therapy
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