Three years ago, Grace Lancaster had a life-changer. She had just spent five days learning the basics of flying, using flight simulators and taking on team challenges at the Space Camp Aviation Challenge at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
That’s when she learned about Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
“The military-style environment and focus on aerospace education provided exactly what I was looking for in getting a better idea of aspects of military life and growing my knowledge within my prospective fields,” said Lancaster, who joined CAP in September 2021 and now holds the rank of cadet first lieutenant.
A May graduate of St. Catherine of Siena Academy in Wixom, Lancaster earned this year’s $2,500 Capt. John E. Mullins Memorial Scholarship, awarded jointly by the CAP Foundation and Detroit Chapter #9 of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
The needs-based scholarships support Michigan Wing cadets pursuing undergraduate or graduate education. Funds can be used for tuition, books and/or room and board. The scholarship is named in honor of Mullins, a former board member for VVA#9 who died earlier this year and who helped create the partnership between the two organizations.
Lancaster, 19, serves as cadet commander of the Livonia Thunderbolt Composite Squadron. The Novi resident earned her student pilot certificate for logging 50 flight hours, and in January she received CAPS’s Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell award for her leadership – a recognition earned by the top 15 percent of CAP cadets.
“The ongoing commitment of the VVA Chapter #9 Capt. John Mullins Scholarship has supported the development of many young Michiganders,” said Col. Rajesh U. Kothari, board chair for the CAP Foundation. “Cadet 1st Lt. Grace Lancaster is only the latest example of the great young men and women that this scholarship encourages to achieve their dreams.”
Noted Detroit Chapter #9 President Paul Palazzolo: “We are proud to partner with CAP to both honor our late friend John Mullins and to support deserving students such as Cadet 1st Lt. Lancaster.”
In addition to having the opportunity to volunteer, teach, and meet like-minded peers, Lancaster credits mentors she met through CAP with helping her grow both personally and professionally. That helped bolster a budding interest in history nurtured by her grandfather, Sgt. James Sims, a Vietnam veteran.
“Without this, I never would have thought to minor in military science next year, which I am eagerly looking forward to,” said Lancaster, who plans to major in space operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. “History has already made a big impact in my life, and I know it likely will make an even bigger impact on my future, thanks to CAP.”
ABOUT THE CAP FOUNDATION: By providing direct funding, the Civil Air Patrol Foundation promotes and supports CAP and its programs, missions, and operations, including strengthening squadrons and wings and providing scholarships for cadets and aerospace education. The foundation also helps donors leave a legacy and a lasting impact in supporting volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures. For more information, go to https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/giving/capfoundation.
VVA#9 supports and honors veterans by helping them access resources, advocating for veteran-centered policies and legislation, being a partner in the Metro Detroit Veterans Coalition that hosts the annual Veterans Day Parade, and working to better the community through scholarships, donations, and other philanthropic efforts. For more information about VVA#9, go to https://vva9.org/.
