Mori Hosseini
Chairman of the Board
This year marks my 25th with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Board of Trustees and my tenth as chairman. With your help, we have come far by investing in transformative faculty, research and facilities, while preparing future aviation and aerospace leaders.
In 2023, your support made these and other achievements possible:
Philanthropists and policymakers alike recognize the value of investing in Embry-Riddle. We are making careful financial decisions, evidenced by our highest credit rating ever. Wise stewardship serves students by driving initiatives such as these:
• We awarded $3 million in scholarships in 2023. Our Philanthropy Councils have so far awarded 56 scholarships and funded 91 innovative student projects.
• The Boeing Company contributed $5.1 million to our new Boeing Center for Aviation & Aerospace Safety, where we advance safety and learning opportunities for students.
• Dr. Chuck Crinnian, with his wife, Susan, provided a $2 million legacy gift to propel safety-training programs at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, campus.
• We dedicated the Jay and Leila Adams Basketball Locker Room and celebrated more than $1 million from donors, including 100% of our Board of Trustees, to serve student-athletes.
Ninety-five percent of surveyed alumni are employed or continuing their education within a year of graduating. Embry-Riddle’s academic excellence continues to be reflected in top rankings:
• Our Aerospace Engineering program ranks No. 4 nationwide, among programs with a doctoral option, according to U.S. News & World Report.
• The Worldwide Campus ranks No. 2 among the nation’s best online bachelor’s degrees.
• Our residential campuses hold nine Top Ten rankings, with the Prescott Campus named No.1 among regional colleges in the West.
• All three campuses continue to rank among the Best for Veterans.
A record 3,128 undergraduate students joined us this fall at the Prescott and Daytona Beach, Florida, campuses, making this our largest-ever incoming residential class. The Worldwide Campus also drew record course registrations for the October term. Overall, we now serve more than 31,000 students and continue to grow internationally, from Latin America to Asia. The high performance level of incoming students means they are well prepared to succeed, too.
Embry-Riddle’s Research Park has so far supported 242 student interns and created 184 jobs that offer an average salary of $75,000. Across the university, researchers are working on 438 active external awards worth $165 million, while mentoring 238 doctoral students. During October’s partial solar eclipse, for example, Dr. Aroh Barjatya of the Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Lab (SAIL) launched three rockets, as part of a NASA mission. Now, Eagles are making final preparations to send their EagleCam miniature satellite camera to the moon.
Since 1978, contributions by our Prescott Campus have ranged from economic impacts statewide to student volunteer service hours and high-achieving alumni who bolster the aviation and aerospace workforce. To ensure continuing success, major investments are underway there. A modernized flight-training center will debut soon, followed by an expanded airport facility, plus a new Eagle Learning Complex, Student Union, and residence hall.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) named four faculty members to its Class of 2024 Associate Fellows, the most of any university. Veteran Student Services Director Edwin J. Hernandez earned the 2023 National Association of Veteran Program Administrators Award, as well as the Boeing Company’s Soaring Eagle Award. Further, we recently welcomed several new leaders: Senior Vice President for Philanthropy Kelly Dowling; Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Kelly Austin; and Vice President for Research and Doctoral Programs Dr. Jeremy Ernst.
We are actively encouraging students to prioritize their overall well-being. The SAMHSA Garret Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant — totaling $306,000 over three years — supports a community health model on campus. Prestigious scholarships, meanwhile, help promote student success. For example, six students were selected for the National Science Foundation’s CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program. Students are also earning top awards in elite competitions, such as the Prescott Campus’ Golden Eagles Flight Team, which took home its 15th championship last year.
We are deeply grateful to all of our donors for their steadfast commitment to Embry-Riddle and our students. As we look forward to celebrating Embry-Riddle’s 100th anniversary in 2026, I hope you will join us in preparing future leaders. Please consider making a donation to givingto.erau.edu/give.
On behalf of the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees, thank you, once again. Forough and I wish you a healthy, happy new year.
Sincerely,
Mori Hosseini
Honorary Doctorate ’13, MBA ’82, BS ’79
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Chairman & CEO, ICI Homes
