Vaughn in the News
The demand for pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics and aeronautical engineers has never been higher, creating a great need for Vaughn graduates. Several news stations have recently reported on this trend, among other topics, featuring the training programs at Vaughn College. Check out Vaughn’s news coverage below.
Vincent Mickens Podcast
We were honored to welcome Vincent Mickens from Private Air Media to campus to host an on-site episode of his podcast, “All Things Aviation and Aerospace.”
The podcast featured a powerful conversation with Vaughn College President and CEO Dr. Sharon DeVivo, along with several faculty members and students, highlighting the innovation, opportunity and real-world impact happening right here at Vaughn.
iHeart Radio Podcast
President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo is joined by Steve Delson on iHeart Radio’s “CEOs You Should Know” podcast series. They talk about Sharon’s journey to Vaughn College, her leadership philosophy and everything about the College, from programs to student outcomes and the industries it serves. You won’t want to miss this one!
FOX5
The air traffic-control workforce is facing critical shortages—and Vaughn College in Queens is on the front-lines. In this FOX5 news segment that aired on November 15, 2025, we go inside Vaughn’s air traffic control training program and speak with students about filling this vital gap.
CBS2
With the nation facing a growing shortage of air traffic controllers, Vaughn is in a position to help by training the next generation through its enhanced partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration allowing students to complete their academy training on-campus. CBS2 speaks with President Sharon B. DeVivo to go inside the issue during a segment that aired on November 7, 2025.
CBS2
As CBS2 News Correspondent Tim McNicholas reports on 7/22/25, Vaughn College will soon train some new FAA air traffic control hires on campus. The goal of that new program is to fight a nationwide air traffic controller shortage and get more controllers on the job faster. The team at Vaughn said they’ll launch that new program this fall. They say they’re starting small, with about 9-15 trainees.
FOX5
FOX5’s Antwan Lewis reports on 7/23/25 about Vaughn’s partnership with the FAA to offer enhanced Air Traffic Control training to assist with solving the controller shortage. “The first four to five weeks will be purely academics. It’s all the ins and outs of the FAA, how it operates, how the training process works, and how different types of airplanes perform. And then we go into the actual simulations where they apply all the academic work.” explained adjunct professor and retired air traffic controller, Steve Fanno. Watch the segment to learn more!