Textron Aviation, a Textron Inc. company, has made a commitment of $300,000 to support Wichita State University's Division of Diversity and Community Engagement efforts. 

Textron Aviation will be the exclusive sponsor for three years of four division programs: Tenacious Ten, No Veteran Left Behind, Community Engagement Ambassadors, and Applied Learning and Partnership Development. With combined efforts, these programs work to engage and support a variety of underrepresented groups and help students be successful.

“It’s essential to the future of our business that we foster a thriving, diverse community where everyone has the opportunity to be successful,” said Maggie Topping, senior vice president of Human Resources and Communications at Textron Aviation. “WSU is a driving force in educating, empowering and mobilizing the community to foster and sustain an inclusive campus, and we look forward to working alongside them to grow their efforts.”

The university’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement was established in 2017 to facilitate community dialogue about diversity and help achieve WSU’s goal to be a campus that reflects the evolving diversity of society.

“The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement is excited to partner with Textron Aviation,” said Marche Fleming-Randle, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement at WSU. “This gift will provide resources and services for our target constituency groups who are historically underrepresented.”

Textron Aviation’s sponsorship of diversity programs is the next step in an ongoing collaboration between the company and the university to develop and support the aviation industry’s next generation of employees. Textron Aviation recently signed a long-term lease at the Wichita State Innovation Campus to offer additional student internship opportunities and also operates an on-site company, Help Hangar, that employs students through Ennovar.