Name: Folahan Odewabi

Age: 20

Hometown: Mansfield, Texas

School: Texas Southern University

Graduation Year: 2025

Career Aspirations: Commercial pilot, Aviation school owner

Hobbies & Interests: My interests are learning and reading about the aviation world, flying planes, sports/fitness, traveling, and music.

Organizations/Clubs: Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP), Business professional association (BPA), Commemorative Air Force (CAF)

Why are you passionate about aviation?  Aviation has always been my calling; I have always wanted to fly since I was 5 years old. When I was a kid, I had a lot of toys, but my favorite was an airplane. I played with it constantly. Launching it across the room felt like magic, I was enthralled with how an airplane was made and what made it fly.

I always remember being the odd one out amongst my peers, My friends and classmates always talked about wanting to be Doctors, Engineers, and Lawyers when they grew up, but for me, it was to become an Airline Pilot.

In high school, I enrolled in the aerospace program. During my four years, I became a lot more engaged within the aviation community. I attended multiple airshows and became an intern at the Commemorative Air Force. All of these experiences and exposure to different programs lit up a fire in my belly, and aviation has been a dream ever since.  

What is your future aspiration?  My future aspiration is to become an Airline captain, and eventually own an Aviation Academy

Why did you choose to apply to Tuskegee NEXT? I chose to apply for Tuskegee NEXT because I dared to be great. Tuskegee Next is a well-polished program that is grounded on great morals and excellence, everything this program stands for I believe is the right passage I need to become successful.