Celebrating Our Centennial
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Celebrating our Centennial - Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Video - Scenes from Embry-Riddle's history – no sound.
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Video Description
The following is a text description of the silent video titled, Celebrating Our Centennial.
Black and white clips of the first flights in biplanes.
A clip of John Paul Riddle in a cockpit crossfades into a full color clip of a modern student in a cockpit.
The modern clips continue with students launching a drone and a rocket.
The video ends with another student watching a small jet fly through a cloudless sky.
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A message from the President
Just over 20 years after the Wright Flyer’s historic flight, John Paul Riddle and T. Higbee Embry had a vision: to pioneer flight and to teach the world to fly.
In the century since, we have built upon that bold idea, transforming Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University into the leader in aviation and aerospace higher education.
As we observe our centennial anniversary, Embry‑Riddle has the opportunity to celebrate its past achievements, such as rallying to the call to train pilots for World War II; forming our campus in Daytona Beach, Florida; expanding westward with our Prescott, Arizona, campus; and reaching all corners of the globe through our Worldwide Campus.
Over 100 years, Embry‑Riddle has shaped aviation trailblazers, top military leaders and brave astronauts.
Their legacy inspires us to tackle the aviation and aerospace challenges of tomorrow. By pushing the boundaries of research, we are educating the scientists, engineers, aviators, entrepreneurs and visionaries who will make breakthrough discoveries, build the future of flight and advance space exploration.
Come along as our Eagles celebrate this milestone with events, activities and commemorations of our first century. Help us honor all those who have contributed to Embry‑Riddle’s mission of innovation, determination, service and education, including countless staff, students, faculty, alumni and industry partners.
And join us as we look forward to an even more inspiring future, when Embry‑Riddle will write its next chapter in the sky, explore boundless horizons and journey to unimagined frontiers.
Sincerely,
P. Barry Butler
Alumni Reflections
A university is more than its milestones. It is memory, meaning and the decisions that changed everything.
At Embry‑Riddle, dreams took flight — on runways and in classrooms. Friendships sparked. Marriages began. Careers launched. Traditions took root. Families changed course the day someone walked the commencement stage and proved it could be done.
As we mark our centennial, we celebrate not just our history — but yours. Across decades and disciplines, here’s how some of our alumni remember their moments of lift.
"I was a member of Sigma Chi, and my day job was taking classes at Embry‑Riddle. That’s how I felt. It was a very different place in the 1980s. When I took the campus tour, my mother sat in the back of our van crying. Thirty years later, she was calling me to help get her grandson, my nephew, into Embry‑Riddle. He graduated in 2022."
Bill Kingsley (’84, ’88) is senior vice president at AssuredPartners Aerospace LLC. He created the Fred J. Ford Scholarship, named for the “house dog” of his fraternity, the Eta Iota Chapter of Sigma Chi.
"Embry‑Riddle changed my life. I met my wife. At the time there were, I think, 10 women at the whole school, and she picked me, which is unbelievable. And she’s now a retired two-star, and she had a very distinguished career in the Air Force. And I met her through ROTC and an organization called Arnold Air Society at the ROTC detachment there. And we owe a lot to Embry‑Riddle."
Brig. Gen. Daniel Woodward (’80) speaking about his wife, Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward (’97). Each forged groundbreaking Air Force careers, his in global mobility and command, and hers in leading combat operations and advancing women in uniform.
"I remember vividly going online to the university bookstore when I was in elementary school, and I bought a pair of Embry‑Riddle track pants. I think I still have them, believe it or not. So I never really considered anywhere other than Riddle."
Justin Ellixson Andrews (’12, ’17) built his career in aviation talent acquisition. In 2023, he became Executive Director of the NGPA, advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion and opportunities and strengthening professional networks in aviation.
Student Impressions
What does it mean to be part of an institution as it celebrates its centennial? Students from diverse majors and all three of our campuses share the impact Embry‑Riddle has had on their lives and future careers.
Coming from North Carolina, where aviation history began with the Wright Brothers, I’ve always felt a deep connection to this industry. Being at Embry‑Riddle — especially during its Centennial— feels like standing at the crossroads of history and the future. I’m proud to be part of a time when more women are entering aviation and engineering, taking their place in an evolving industry. I hope Embry‑Riddle continues to lead with bold ideas and innovation, while empowering students to push boundaries across both traditional and emerging paths. I’m honored to be part of that future.
Hailee Williamson, Air Traffic Management student, Daytona Beach Campus
Embry‑Riddle has given me the education and opportunity to do incredible things, like conducting industry-grade aerospace research and design as an undergraduate student. I hope that in the next 100 years, Embry‑Riddle will provide students, who are passionate about aerospace, with the same support I have been given, so they too can go on to do amazing things and inspire future generations.
Grant Bowers, Software Engineering student, Prescott Campus
Faculty & Staff Messages
For our faculty and staff, advancing aviation and aerospace education and research is a calling. Below, they reflect on 100 years of Embry‑Riddle and their hopes for the next 100 years of Eagle excellence.
Being part of Embry‑Riddle during its centennial milestone is an incredible honor — a chance to celebrate a legacy of innovation, resilience and the business of flight. What inspires me most is the opportunity to work alongside our students, the heart of this university — as they pursue their passions and push the boundaries of what’s possible. As we look to the future, I see Embry‑Riddle continuing to soar, empowering the next generation of leaders to shape the skies, space and the world with bold vision and unwavering determination.
Dr. Jennifer Hinebaugh, Associate Professor of Management
As a faculty member in astronomy, I’m proud to be part of Embry‑Riddle’s 100th orbit around the sun — celebrating a century of leadership in aviation while helping students reach from the skies above to the stars beyond.
Dr. Terry Oswalt, Professor of Physics & Astronomy
As a newer member of the Embry‑Riddle community, being part of the centennial milestone is both humbling and inspiring. It means contributing to a legacy of innovation with a fresh perspective while helping shape the next century of progress. I’m excited to see what we continue to accomplish as a university and what our exceptional students will achieve across industries. Here’s to the next 100 years of excellence and impact!
Ashley Williams, College Brand Manager
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