November marked National Aviation History Month, a timely moment to reflect on the broad role of aviation in our region, economy, and educational ecosystem. At the same time, the industry is facing persistent workforce challenges: shortages of pilots, air-traffic controllers, operations managers, manufacturing and repair, and others who help keep the system safe and moving.
Moravian University is responding by launching new Aviation Management, Professional Pilot,and Air-Traffic Control programs, in partnership with flyGATEWAY, flight school beginning fall 2026. This initiative is not simply about meeting demand, but about aligning higher education with real-world infrastructure and service needs.
When people think of aviation professionals, pilots often come to mind. But sustaining air travel requires a full ecosystem: air-traffic control personnel, dispatchers, ground operations, airport management, logistics and safety oversight. For example, air-traffic controllers coordinate complex flows of aircraft, manage dynamic conditions and ensure systemic reliability, all under a tremendous amount of pressure. Recognizing this helps us see that the shortage is not just a “pilot problem,” but a workforce readiness issue across the domain. The response to Moravian’s new programs has been overwhelmingly positive and immediate. In the days since we’ve announced the launch of the programs, we’ve received dozens of student inquiries eager to enroll from across Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This includes prospective students like the high school senior from Wilkes-Barre, who reaches out to our admissions team every few days, anxious to apply and pore over the curriculum.
The Lehigh Valley is a strategic region for companies in distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, third-party logistics and supply-chain operations. With our proximity to Lehigh Valley International Airport and Queen City Airport, Moravian is in an ideal position to engage. Locally, we’re working with professionals like Mark S. Cronin, an aviator with more than 40 years of experience as both a commercial and military pilot to guide the program and make sure we deliver a curriculum that best serves our students. Students in the new programs will have access to infrastructure, flight training (real and virtual) and local partnerships, set up to move from classroom to flightdeck or tower with purpose and preparedness. Moravian’s Aviation Management, Air-Traffic Control, and Professional Pilot programs will prepare graduates for careers as pilots, facility managers, and air-traffic controllers.
At Moravian, we believe that professional preparation and higher education are not at odds, they complement one another. The aviation programs will focus on technical competence, safety culture, regulatory literacy, and operational judgment, while also developing skills in critical thinking, ethical decision-making and effective communication. Essential professional skills as technology and regulation evolve in aviation.
The timing is strategic. Demand for aviation professionals is rising, and the industry is evolving rapidly, from airspace modernization to drone and uncrewed aircraft systems, to hybrid-electric propulsion and new logistics models. Many colleges and universities across the country can have a role in preparing the workforce, not just for today’s needs, but for tomorrow’s possibilities. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration’s 2025-2028 Controller Workforce Plan calls for hiring “at least 8,900 new air-traffic controllers through 2028” and according to the CAE Aviation Talent Forecast, North America will need 79,000 pilots and 15,000 air traffic controllers by 2034.
To our colleagues across higher education: this is a moment to think beyond traditional program silos. Growth areas such as aviation, logistics and transportation require partnerships, experiential training, flexible credentials and alignment with industry. Indeed, industry is calling for “super employees” who can work across disciplines in order to innovate and deliver. In addition, rapidly changing technologies will require continuous partnerships between universities and industry to provide the credentialing necessary to meet future developments. Universities that step into these spaces responsibly will help both their students and their communities.
To our peers in industry: universities stand ready to collaborate in designing curricula, training modules and experiential opportunities that reflect job realities and future trends. A shared agenda ensures graduates are ready not just for their first job, but for careers of evolving length and complexity. We welcome regional partners to co-design modules or offer experiential placements.
November’s recognition of National Aviation History Month reminds us that flight is not simply about machines or terminals, it’s about human expertise, coordination, public service, and innovation. At Moravian University, we are proud to engage in that story and invite others in higher education to join the journey.
This is a contributed opinion column. Bryon Grigsby is president of Moravian University. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.
