Vaughn in the News

Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon DeVivo speaks to the air traffic controller staffing shortage and how the College is training air traffic controllers in NYC to help fill the gap. Vaughn has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to teach academy-level skills on campus so students don’t have to attend the FAA Academy training in Oklahoma City which can take up to 16 weeks. Check out NBC’s segment that aired on 5/14/25.

Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon DeVivo was featured on this NY1 segment that aired on 5/8/25 addressing the air traffic controller shortage and how the College is one of five institutions approved to provide FAA Academy training on campus to help push more qualified air traffic controllers into control towers.

The FAA announced Wednesday, 4/9/25 that Vaughn College is the fifth institution to join the Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative which allows air traffic control graduates to be placed directly into FAA facilities or apply for positions in Federal Contract Towers after passing all training requirements on campus. This is a huge step towards expanding the pipeline to address the nationwide controller shortage.

PIX11 correspondent Jay Dow traveled to Vaughn to explore how the College is preparing the next generation of air traffic controllers, pilots, engineers, aviation maintenance technicians, managers and more, to meet the demand and challenges in the aviation industry today. View the segment that aired on 3/5/25.

Local high school robotics teams came together at Vaughn College to test their robots in preparation for the VEX Robotics World Championship Competition in May. William Zeng, the president of Vaughn’s VCAT Robotics Club explains the goal of this year’s game. FOX5 News covers the story on 1/4/25.

The holiday travel season is in full force, and staffing shortages (including air traffic controllers) are causing flight delays. The FAA is reducing some constraints on training requirements, but it still takes a lot of diligence and studying to become an air traffic controller. Check out this news segment from 11/26/24 featuring Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo, president and chief executive officer of Vaughn College and her take on the situation.

The FAA has launched an initiative to address the air traffic controller shortage in New York by allowing colleges such as Vaughn College to train new hires directly on their campuses. This program aims to expedite the training process by enabling students to bypass the traditional 16-week training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, allowing them to complete their training locally while still meeting the FAA’s rigorous standards​. Watch the segment that aired on CBS2 NY on 5/21/24.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects there will be nearly 17,000 job openings for airline and commercial pilots this year. The FAA said that New York’s main air traffic control center is staffed at just 54%, highlighting the need for the aviation training that Vaughn provides for aircraft mechanics, pilots, engineers and air traffic controllers. Watch the segment that aired on CBS2 NY on 3/8/24.

Vaughn College has served as a launching pad for aviation professionals for over 90 years. Now it announced that over 70% of its student population are people of color – adding much-needed diversity to the field of aviation, which has historically been dominated by white men. Check out the full segment on News12 that aired 10/13/23.

More than 60 high schools in the tri-state area competed in one of the country’s largest qualifier competitions held at Vaughn College on 2/4/24 to determine who will proceed to the 2024 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas.

Check out this montage of the latest news coverage Vaughn College has received over the last year surrounding the air traffic controller and pilot shortage, and how Vaughn is helping to address the problem.

Vaughn College is training the next generation of pilots and air traffic controllers amidst a rising shortage in the aviation industry, one that President Dr. Sharon DeVivo said she hasn’t seen in her 27 years at the College. Check out ABC7’s coverage.

As airlines continue to struggle with staffing shortages, Vaughn College is training the next generation of aviation professionals including air traffic controllers, pilots, engineers and maintenance technicians.

As demand soars for aviation professionals, NY1 showcases how Vaughn College is preparing the next generation of airline pilots, air traffic controllers, aeronautical engineers, airline and airport managers and aviation maintenance professionals.

The air traffic control and flight programs at Vaughn College are highlighted by CBS News, noting how they could help answer the aviation industry staffing shortages.

Scripps News showcases Vaughn College’s air traffic control students who are training to fulfill some of the largest staffing shortages that the New York area has ever seen. The FAA plans to hire 15,000 controllers over the next decade.

Vaughn’s President, Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo, was featured on ABC7NY’s Tiempo with host Joe Torres on 9/24/23 where she shared valuable insights about how Vaughn’s mission to empower the next generation of aerospace and engineering leaders, especially Latino leaders, is succeeding.

Vaughn trains its air traffic control students to be prepared for all possible scenarios. This was evident by the calm and collected demeanor a Vaughn alumna and air traffic controller maintained as she helped steer a plane to safety last week. Check out the feed from LaGuardia’s control tower that aired on 4/4/24 on ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir, Gio Benitez reporting. Great job Jackie!