Good afternoon and thank you for joining
us as we introduce Nikki the top hawk.
Kent State University's Cessna aircraft,
awarded to the college as part
of their 2016 Top Hawk honor.
We will be using this
aircraft over the course
of a year to promote general aviation.
And encourage students to
pursue careers in Aeronautics.
When we opened up the naming
rights to our alumni and friends.
We had an overwhelming response to name
the plane Nikki, after Nicole Kukwa.
She was a former aeronautics student,
who passed away from leukemia.
Before her dream of being
a career pilot was achieved.
>> She was a kid.
She was, she had big dreams
in where she wanted to go.
But when she finally settled in on Kent,
she was really excited about it.
And in fact, I felt more safe with her
in her airplane, than in a car with her.
[LAUGH] Because of all the safety checks
and because they teach you so well here.
>> Me and another instructor,
Chris Marion,
we are going to be flying in
the Airways Classic this summer.
We'll be taking the Top Hawk.
I've heard her name throughout
the program, especially as a female.
Knowing somebody had such a big impact on
this program and that everything she did.
So, I'm really honored
to be a part of this.
>> It's incredibly wonderful, but
also bittersweet at the same time.
Of course, you come to these things and
it just brings back the memories of who
she could be at this point in her life.
She would've been 32 years old.
[SOUND] It makes me feel good
as a parent to know, and
I think it would make her feel good, too.
To know that good things are happening,
because of what happened to her.
[SOUND]
[MUSIC]
